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WAR AND THE WEATHER, 



OR, THE 



Artificial Production of Rain. 



By EDWARD POWERS, C. E. 



CHICAGO: 

S. C. GRIGGS & COMPANY, 

117 & 119 State Street. 
1871. 



Entered, according to act of Congress, In the year 1871, 

By EDWARD POWERS, 

in the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. 






Uortou & Leonard, Printers, 108 and 110 Raudolph Street, Chicago. 



THE 



ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 



The idea that rain can be produced by human 
agency, though sufficiently startling, is not one 
which, in this age of progress, ought to be consid- 
ered as impossible of practical realization. It is an 
opinion of comparatively recent origin, and is one 
which cannot be regarded as belonging, in any 
degree, to a certain class of notions which prevail 
among the unthinking, and which, being based 
neither on reason nor observed facts, are respecta- 
ble, if at all, only for their antiquity ; but, on the 
contrary, it is one which is confined principally to 
those who are accustomed to draw conclusions only 
from adequate premises, and whose belief in the 
matter referred to has generally been founded on 
facts which have come under their own observation. 
When numerous observers, each independently of 
the others, arrive at an identical conclusion, in 
reasoning from facts which they have separately 
noticed in widely different fields, such conclusion 
is certainly worthy of respect, and may be assumed 
to contain the elements of truth. Of this nature is 
the idea under consideration — the belief that rain 



4 THE ARTIFICIAL 

has been, and can be, brought on by heavy dis- 
charges of artillery. 

In collecting some of the facts bearing on this 
question and submitting them to the public, the 
object of the writer has been to awaken a more 
general interest in the subject, in the hope that 
Congress may be induced to cause some experiments 
to be made for the purpose of developing the natural 
principle that seems to be involved, and determin- 
ing if it cannot be made of practical use to the 
country. If it should be conceded — as it must be 
from the evidence that will be presented — that 
battles have produced changes in the weather, it 
would seem to be an eminently proper subject for 
legislative action to provide for an investigation of 
the conditions under which these changes can be 
made. If lightning and thunder and rain have 
been brought on by the agency of man, when blood- 
shed and slaughter only were intended, this surely 
can be done without these latter concomitants. 
And when we consider the grand results that would 
flow from an assured power and well defined method 
of causing rain to fall at will — the mighty step 
that would thereby be made by man towards the 
complete control over nature to which he aspires — 
the bare possibility that such a power, heretofore 
considered as a prerogative of the Deity alone, is 
within his reach, ought to be sufficient to lead to an 
earnest inquiry into the truth of the matter, and to 
an investigation as to the most economical and 
effective means of applying it, if it should be found 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 5 

to exist. That there is the strongest reason for 
believing that this achievement is possible, I have 
the means of showing; but to verify the truth of 
the theory by which such power is claimed, and to 
determine its limits and conditions, can only be done 
by a well regulated series of experiments with pow- 
der and cannon and other appliances. Such experi- 
ments, when made, as eventually they surely will 
be, should be made at the public expense ; for it is 
the public who would be benefited in the event of 
their success. The art of regulating the weather to 
some extent, if such an art should ever be acquired, 
is not one on which a patent could ever be obtained, 
nor would the business be one in which a monopoly 
could ever be exercised by an individual. The 
agricultural class, it is true, would be the one which 
would be the most directly benefited by it, but the 
prosperity of this class, as a general rule, leads to 
the prosperity of all the others. 

Before submitting the evidence by which I pro- 
pose to show the connection between artillery firing 
and rains, or endeavoring to present a reasonable 
theory for the assumed direct relation between the 
two, it maybe well to offer a few remarks in regard 
to the commonly accepted theory of rains in general. 
The air, as is well understood, is the great reservoir 
in which is collected and stored up the water from 
which all storms are formed. Extending around the 
earth to the height of forty or fifty miles, it is capable 
of holding in suspension a vast amount of this fluid, 
which it receives from evaporation from the ocean, 



6 THE ARTIFICIAL 

from lakes, rivers, pools, and from all portions of 
the earth's surface where any moisture is present. 
The water, when so evaporated, passes into the air 
in the form of a transparent and perfectly invisible 
vapor, and the warmer the air, the greater the 
amount of this vapor it is capable of absorbing. 
Rain is formed by the condensation of this vapor 
and its precipitation to the earth ; a partial conden- 
sation first forming clouds, and rendering the vapor 
visible. This condensation is supposed to be caused 
by the cooling of the air in which it occurs, whereby 
the amount of vapor which it is capable of holding 
is lessened. Thus a warm current of air saturated 
with moisture, meets a cooler current, and the cold 
of the latter condenses a portion of the aqueous 
vapor contained in the former, and clouds and rain 
are the result. 

The theory of which the foregoing is an outline, 
is no doubt correct in its main features, but it stops 
short of a full explanation of the production of rain. 
It is founded on the known principle that two bodies 
of air of different temperatures, cannot hold as 
much aqueous vapor, after they are mixed together, 
as they were capable of holding while separate ; and 
from this it shows how a thin cloud may be formed, 
but it fails to show how the particles of this cloud 
are collected into drops of rain. In recognizing 
cold, or the absence of a certain degree of heat, as 
the only cause of the condensation of aqueous vapor 
into clouds and rain, it is unsatisfactory. Without 
going into any extended argument to show that 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 7 

there must be some other agent as well as the heat 
at work to produce this result, the objection will 
simply be made here that the theory referred to 
requires that immense quantities of air of different 
temperatures should be mixed for the production 
of a very small amount of rain ; that the two 
bodies of air so mixed should be fully saturated 
with moisture, or nearly so — otherwise the resulting 
mixture would be capable of containing all, or 
nearly all, the moisture previously contained in 
both ; and finally it teaches that this air, instead of 
being deprived of the greater portion of its moisture 
by the formation of rain, is left as full of moisture 
as it can possibly hold at the temperature * which 
results when the mixing process takes place. 

These considerations, and especially the latter, 
should impel us to look for some further cause for 
the condensation of aqueous vapor in the produc- 
tion of rain. This cause may be some form of 
electrical action. Electricity no doubt plays an 
important part in all storms, though it may not 
alwaj^s manifest itself to the senses ; and in a thun- 
der storm it is as reasonable to suppose that the 
lightning, (or the electricity of which it is formed), 
is an agent in causing the rain, as that the rain 

*Rain is generally produced by the rapid union of two or more 
volumes of humid air differing considerably in temperature ; the 
several portions, when mingled, being incapable of absorbing the 
same amount of moisture that each would retain if they had not 
united. If the excess is great it falls as rain ; if it is of slight 
amount it appears as cloud. The production of rain is the result 
of the law that the capacity of the air for moisture decreases in a 
higher ratio than the temperature. (Sillimaris Principles of 
Physics or Natural Philosophy, page 656.) 



8 THE ARTIFICIAL 

causes the lightning; or that the process that pro- 
duces the one, produces also the other. 

But dismissing for the present the subject of 
theories, let us proceed to facts — facts, but few of 
which, perhaps, would be of great significance if 
they stood alone and unsupported by the others; 
but which, taken in the aggregate, furnish the 
strongest evidence that heavy artillery firing has an 
influence on the weather and tends to bring rain. 

Let it be premised that this statement of facts, 
however, is far from being a complete one ; and 
lacks much of exhibiting all the evidence that 
could be found in support of the above proposition. 
That there were a great number of miuor engage- 
ments during our late war, not included in this list, 
that were followed by an early fall of rain, is shown 
by the general scope of the testimony which I shall 
append upon the subject. I have drawn many 
facts from the records of the Navy Department as 
contained in the Log Books preserved in the Office of 
the Bureau of Navigation, and probably many more 
could be obtained from the same source ; but though 
furnished, through the kindness and courtesy of the 
Bureau, with every facility in the examination of 
these books, but a very limited time could be given 
to the work, and it has been necessarily hasty and 
far from complete. If the facts, however, which I 
shall present, are insufficient to convince, it would 
be in vain to hope to do so with a greater number. 

The first instance that I shall mention of rain as 
a direct result of a battle, occurred at 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 9 

THE BATTLE OF BUENA VISTA, MEXICO, 

fought 22nd and 23rd of February, 1847. This was 
in the dry season in that country; there had been 
no rain for several months before the battle, and 
there was none for several months after. Three 
showers, however, followed the first day's engage- 
ment. 1 two of which are specially remarkable. On 
the 23rd, about one or two hours after the severe 
cannonading that took place between 8 and 10 A. M. ? 
there was a most violent rain fall for some ten or 
fifteen minutes. Again, in the afternoon, at about 
the same interval, after another spell of heavy can- 
nonading, another violent shower of rain fell. The 
fact before stated, that no rain had fallen for months 
before the battle, and that none fell for months 
after at that place, is almost proof positive, not only 
that the cannonading caused the rain, but that the 
cannonading will bring rain at a time when the 
atmospheric conditions are in the highest degree 
unfavorable to the production of that phenomenon 
through the ordinary operations of nature. 

THE BATTLE OF PALO ALTO, MEXICO, 

8th May, 1846 ; also fought in the dry season, was 
also followed by rain, 2 but the particulars cannot be 
given. 

THE BATTLE OR SIEGE OF MONTEREY, MEXICO, 

was fought September 21 to 23, 1846, which, like 

1 See appended documents, Nos. 7 and 27. 
* See Doc. No. 30. 



10 THE ARTIFICIAL 

the dates before mentioned was in the dry season* 
The morning of the 21st was bright and beautiful, 
but " soon after the storming of the two forts, 
Federacion and Soldaclo, a violent storm came up/' 
and to its " unbroken peltings" General Worth and 
the 2nd Division were exposed during the night. 3 A 
similar phenomenon occurred also on the 23rd. The 
morning was bright and fair, with no indications of 
rain ; during the day there was heavy cannonading, 
and " the evening and night closed in with heavy 
rain." 4 

THE BATTLE OF CONTRERAS, MEXICO, 

was fought August 19th, 1847, and at a season when 
rains were very unfrequent. At Puebla during the 
months of June and July, and perhaps the begin- 
ning of August, there had been heavy falls of rain 
every afternoon, the skies clearing before sunset, and 
the atmosphere being remarkably clear until the next 
afternoon. Our army commenced its march from 
Puebla on the 7th, and from that time until the 
16th, the days were generally, if not always, clear, 
bright, and beautiful. 5 On the 16th the movement 
commenced at Chalco, and on the next two days 
there was some rain, but it was not heavy. The 
morning of the 19th was bright and clear, 6 and 
such was also the afternoon 7 at the usual hour for 
rains. 

But on this day " the battle raged furiously, and 
for more than three hours the entire force was 

3 See Doc. No. 27, D. 30. 4 See Doc. No. 28. & See No. 26. 
6 See Doc. No. 28. 7 See No. 26. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 11 

under a heavy fire." " Night at length put an end 
to the conflict"; and " a cold rain soon afterwards 
began to fall in torrents." 8 

THE BATTLE OF CHURUBUSCO 

was fought the next day, which was bright and 
clear. The day after it rained heavily. 9 

THE BATTLE OF MOLINO DEL KEY, MEXICO, 

fought September 8, 1847, was also followed in the 
afternoon and evening by a hard rain. 10 

THE BATTLE OF CHEPtTLTEPEC, MEXICO, 

fought September 13, 1847, was also followed by 
rain ; and whatever doubt may be entertained as to 
the significance of the facts of rain following the 
battles of Contreras and Churubusco, on account 
of their nearness to the wet season, it cannot be 
doubted that at this time the dry season had fully 
set in. The day of the battle was followed by a 
dark and cloudy night, 11 with rain in the early 
morning of the day following. The Mexican 
historian says : " The morning of the 14th was 
as gloomy and sad as the destiny of the Repub- 
lic. There was a mist so thick that objects could 
not be seen at a few steps distance. Soon after, a 
light shower began to fall which soaked the sol- 
diers," 12 etc. Later in the morning the weather 
became clear. 

During the late war of the rebellion, the occur- 

9 See No. 26. 8&10 See No. 27. 

11 See Appended Document, No. 27. 12 See No. 30. 



12 THE ARTIFICIAL 

rence of the phenomenon under discussion was 
frequent. The 

BATTLE OF BIG BETHEL 

may be mentioned as an early instance. This bat- 
tle, fought in Eastern Virginia on the 10th of June, 
1861, was soon followed by a copious rain. 13 
Incessant rains attended General McClelland 

CAMPAIGN IN WESTERN VIRGINIA, 

in July, 1861. It has been published that his 
troops " had four separate engagements on four 
days, and before the close of each, violent rains 
fell." 14 The 

BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN, 

fought July 10, was one of these, and was fol- 
lowed by one or two rainy days. 15 

The following engagements, which took place in 
that section of the country later in the same year, 
were also each followed quickly by rain ; viz. : 

BATTLE OF CARNIFAX FERRY, 16 

fought August 10, 1861. 

BATTLE OF CHEAT MOUNTAIN, 17 

fought 13th and 14th September, 1861. 

BATTLE OF GREEN BRIER, 18 

fought October 3, 1861. 

13 See No. 39. « See page 72. i» See Doc. No. 5. ™ See No, 17/ 

17 and 18 See No. 38, 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 13 

BATTLE OF ALLEGHANY SUMMIT, 19 

fought December 12, 1861. 

None of these are classed as great battles, but 
the firing was, apparently, sufficient to bring rain. 
At the first great battle of the war the resulting 
phenomenon was similar, but more intensified. 
This, the 

FIRST BATTLE OF BULL RUN, 

was fought on the 21st of July, 1861. The day 
of the battle was bright and clear all through, but 
the next day was one of drenching rain. The 
storm commenced about six o'clock in the morn- 
ing and continued all day and through the follow- 
ing night ; the rain, during the afternoon and night 
especially, falling in torrents. 20 
As early in the war as the 

SIEGE OF LEXINGTON, MISSOURI, 

which ended on the 20th of September, 1861, in 
the surrender of Colonel Mulligan to the Confed- 
erates, the fact that heavy artillery firing was 
usually followed by rain, had already been noticed 
m the West. On the 17th the beleagured garrison 
were cut off from the river, and thus deprived of 
water; but to encourage the soldiers to hold out as 
long as possible for the arrival of the expected 
reinforcements, it' was represented to them, by their 
officers, that the cannonading would surely bring 

19 See No. 38. 20 See Appended Documents, Nos. 1, 3, 20 and 26. 



14 THE AKTIFICIAL 

rain to quench their thirst. And this prediction 
was fulfilled ; though, unfortunately, they had no 
way to catch the water which their firing had 
drawn from the skies, except by spreading their 
blankets to the shower, and then wringing them 
out. 21 

In the South, as well as in the East and West, 
rain followed heavy cannonading. An 

ENGAGEMENT NEAR FORT PICKENS, FLORIDA, 

was an early instance. Flag Officer William W. 
McKean, commanding Gulf Blockading Squadron, 
in a report to the Secretary of the Navy, dated 
November 25, 1861, thus mentions the circum- 
stance. He says: "Sir — I have the honor to 
inform you that on the 22nd instant, a combined 
attack was made upon the rebels at this place by 
Colonel Brown, of Fort Pickens, and the United 
States ships Niagara and Richmond under my com- 
mand. * . -* * At ten o'clock, at the firing of 
the first gun from the Fort (the signal agreed upon), 
the Niagara stood in, followed by the Richmond, 
and both ships came to anchor. * * * We 
immediately opened fire. * * * At six P. M. 
a sudden squall came up from the Northward and 
Westward, the wind blowing very fresh, with heavy 
ram," etc. 22 

21 See Doc. No. 4. See also Greeley's History of the Ameri- 
can Conflict, Vol. I., page 588. 

22 See Documents accompanying Report of Secretary of Navy, 
of December 1, 1862. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 15 

111 the middle portions of the country also, as 
well as in the East, West and South, the phenome- 
non referred to was, early in the war, exhibited. 
The 

BATTLE OF LOGAN'S CROSS ROADS 

is an instance. The author of the American Con- 
flict, in speaking of the pursuit of the Confederates 
after this battle, says, " It rained as usual/' 23 a 
remark which is understood to recognize a truth 
which it is the object of this treatise to bring for- 
ward — and which receives still more pointed notice 
on a subsequent page of that work. 24 

THE BATTLE OF FORT DONELSON, 

which all will remember as one of the first great 
victories of the war for the Union, affords another 
instance of the kind under consideration. The 
siege commenced on the 13th of February, 1862, 
which was a clear, bright day, as was also the 
next. The artillery firing commenced on the 14th, 
by a desperate fight of an hour's duration between 
Commodore Foote's gunboats and the batteries of 
the fort ; the gunboats finally retiring, badly crip- 
pled. The next day the battle was renewed by the 
land forces, and ended in a storm of snow, which 
in turn was followed by one of rain. 25 The weather 
this day changed to cold — a change which, it is 
presumed, would have occurred if there had been 
no battle ; but the effect of the cold was to turn in 

23 Vol. II., page 43. 24 Vol. II., page 392. 25 s e e Doc. No. 3. 



16 THE ARTIFICIAL 

part into snow and sleet the storm which, the can- 
nonading brought, and which would otherwise have 
probably been one wholly of rain. 

THE BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE, ARKANSAS, 

fought March 7 and 8, 1862, was followed on the 
morning of the 9th by a hard rain. 26 

All the important operations of the expedition 
which was sent under General Burnside and Com- 
modore (now Rear Admiral) L. M. Goldsborough 
against the Confederate strongholds in North Car- 
olina, were each quickly followed by rain. The 
first of these was the attack upon and capture of 

ROANOKE ISLAND, 

on the 7th and 8th of February, 1862. Commo- 
dore Goldsborough, in his official report, in speak- 
ing of the weather at daylight in the morning of 
the 7th, says " The sky gave evident signs of a clear 
day." In the course of the forenoon his gunboats 
commenced an attack on the rebel batteries and 
gunboats, which was continued through the day. 
In the night it commeuced to rain, 27 and the next 
day was rainy throughout. On the second day of 
the fight, the engagement was renewed by the fleet, 
while the land forces assaulted and carried the 
works in the rear. The rain, which accompanied 

26 See Doc. No. 34. 

27and28L g of the « Stars and Stripes." See also Am. Conflict, 
Vol. II., p. 75, and Doc. No. 35 hereto appended. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 17 

and followed this day's action, continued until noon 
of the day following. 28 

The next important movement of this expedition 
was against 

NEWBERN, NORTH CAROLINA. 

The city was taken on the 14th of March, 1862, 
but there was much heavy firing on the 13th by the 
gunboats, and in the night there was a pouring 
rain. 29 No rain fell on the day of the assault and 
capture of the enemy's works, but the day after 
was very rainy. 30 

The next and last important operation of the 
expedition above referred to was the 

CAPTURE OF FORT MACON. 

Fire was opened on this work from General Burn- 
side's siege guns, on the 25th of April, 1862, at 
about six o'clock in the morning, and was continued 
until late in the afternoon; four of Commodore 
Gouldsbourgh's vessels also taking part in the 
action. The sky that morning was clear, and so 
remained until about six o'clock in the afternoon. 
At that hour it became overspread with clouds, and 
the next afternoon it rained, 31 the rain falling heavily 
for three hours. 

29 "Am. Conflict," Vol. II. p. 77. 

30 Log of the U. S. Steamer " Delaware." 

31 Log of U. S. Steamer "Daylight." 



18 THE ARTIFICIAL 

THE NAVAL ACTION IN HAMPTON ROADS, 

in which the U. S. Ships Congress and Cumber- 
land were destroyed by the Merrimack and other 
Confederate vessels, furnishes another instance of 
rain following the discharge of artillery. The fight 
took place on the 8th of March, 1862, a clear, cool 
day. The next day — the one on which the contest 
happened between the Merrimack and Monitor — 
there were four hours of drizzling rain. 32 

On the Mississippi River, scarcely an action of 
any moment occurred that was not followed imme- 
diately by rain. The engagement which resulted in 

THE CAPTURE OF NEW MADRID, MISSOURI, 

was a marked instance. The fight took place on 
the 13th of March, 1862 ; a heavy cannonade was 
kept up from both sides through the day, and a 
violent thunder storm raged through most of the 
night. 33 

AT ISLAND NO. TEN, 

several instances of the kind occurred. The first 
was at the general attack that was made on the bat- 
teries of the island by Commodore Foote's flotilla. 
This attack was made on the 17th of March, 1862 ; 
and during the next day, also, the mortar vessels 
continued to throw shells into the rebel works. 
The weather on the first day was clear, and on the 
second it was the same until six P. M. At that 

32 Log of the U. S. Steamer "Roanoke." See also Doc. No. 39. 
33 Am. Conflict, Vol. II., p. 55. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 19 

110111' the sky became overcast, and thunder showers 
followed in the latter part of the night. 34 

ANOTHER INSTANCE OF A SIMILAR KIND OCCURRED AT 
THE SAME PLACE, 

a short time after. Under date of April 3, 1862, 
eight to twelve A. M., the Log of the "Benton" 
says : " Clear and calm and very warm. The Ben- 
ton, Cincinnati and Carondelet have taken position 
along the Missouri shore and opened fire on the 
floating battery and Island. The mortars are also 
actively engaged." The w r eather which followed 
this engagement is thus stated, under date of April 4. 
From four to eight A. M., " Clear weather until 
six o'clock, then clouded up and threatened 
rain." From eight to twelve, " Fresh breeze from 
E. S. E., attended with much rain." From twelve 
to four P. M., " Passing showers from southward 
and eastward until two o'clock; two o'clock till 
four clear, with moderate breezes from S. W. S." 

This rain, which took place on the fourth, we 
may suppose to have been brought on by the action 
of the third. But there was also an 

ACTION ON THE MORNING OF THE FOURTH, 

which, apparently, produced another rain, and one 
more violent than the first. The nature of this 
engagement is thus explained in a dispatch from 
Flag Officer Foote to the Secretary of the Navy, 
dated April 4, 1862. He says: " This morning the 

34 Log of the " Benton. " 



20 THE ARTIFICIAL 

Benton, Cincinnati and Pittsburg, with three mor- 
tar boats, opened and continued for more than an 
hour, a fire on the rebels' floating battery at Island 
No, 10. * * * The shells were thrown from 
the flotilla into different forts of the island, -and 
into the rebel batteries lining the Tennessee shore." 

Continuing to quote from the Log Book of the 
Benton for April 4, 1862; the weather, a few hours 
after this action, and after the other shower had 
fully cleared away, is thus described : From four 
to six P. M., " Wind South " ; from six to eight P. M., 
" Fresh breeze from S. and cloudy" ; from eight to 
twelve P. M., ''Variable winds and heavy showers 
of rain, accompanied with very vivid and constant 
lightning and some thunder." It was in this thun- 
der storm that the gunboat Carondelet ran the 
rebel batteries. 

There was still 

ANOTHER RAIN FOLLOWING HEAVY CANNONADING AT 
ISLAND NO. TEN. 

The firing, as referred to in one of the dispatches 
of Commodore Foote, dated April 8, 1862, occur- 
red on the seventh. General Pope is spoken of as 
having crossed the river that day under a heavy 
fire, and reference is made to the reduction of a 
fort by two gunboats. The rain occurred on the 
morning of the eighth, and is mentioned in another 
dispatch of Commodore Foote of that date, as a 
heavy thunder storm. 85 

35 See Documents accompanying Report of the Secretary of the 
Navy, of December 1, 1862. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 21 

As the Island surrendered on the eighth, I have 
no further thunder storms to record as following 
cannonading at that point. 

At the 

BOMBARDMENT OF FORTS JACKSON AND ST. PHILIP, 

on the Mississippi River, below New Orleans, 
commencing April 18, 1862, two days of rather 
slow firing, in dry weather, by Farragut's fleet, 
was followed, on the morning of the third, by 
some four hours of rain. 36 

THE GRAND ATTACK UPON AND PASSAGE OF THE FORTS, 

and destruction of the rebel fleet on the twenty- 
fourth, was followed by a terrific thunder storm, 
lasting about five hours. The attack commenced 
between three and four o'clock in the morning, 
under a sky which remained cloudless until four 
P. M. ; and the rain commenced between eleven and 
twelve A^ M. next day. 37 This furious storm was 
raging when the fleet reached the city of New 
Orleans. 

A thunder storm also followed the 

BOMBARDMENT AND PASSAGE OF THE VICKSBURG 
BATTERIES 

by some vessels of Farragut's fleet, and of the mor- 
tar flotilla on the morning of June 28, 1862. The 
attack was made at three o'clock in the morning, 

3G and 37 Log of the Hartford. See also Am. Conflict, Vol. II., p. 
94. Also appended Doc. No. 41, 



22 THE ARTIFICIAL 

with some thirteen or fourteen vessels, and while 
they were steaming past the city the firing was 
rapid and heavy. The weather at the time was 
clear, with the exception of some detached clouds, 
and so remained until midnight of that day. 
Through the remainder of the night clouds and 
lightning were seen, and the morning brought 
several hours of weather " squally, with rain and 
heavy thunder and lightning." 38 

Again, on the morning of June 30, 

THE MORTAR VESSELS ENGAGED THE VICKSBURG 
BATTERIES. 

The next morning there was a terrific thunder 
storm, lasting about two hours. The amount and 
intensity of the lightning, and the violence of the 
rain in this storm, were extraordinary. 39 

THE NAVAL ENGAGEMENT NEAR VICKSBURG, 

on the morning of July 15, 1862, was also followed 
by a storm. An expedition had started up the 
Yazoo River, that morning, to destroy the rebel 
ram " Arkansas," when it met that vessel coming 
down. A severe fight ensued, in which two of our 
vessels were disabled; after which the Arkansas 
escaped into the Mississippi, and took refuge under 
the Vicksburg batteries ; from which unsuccessful 
attempts were made that day to cut her out ; the 
last being made in the evening. The weather was 
clear at the time this fighting commenced, as it had 

38 and 39 Log Book of the U. S. Steamship Hartford. 



PRODUCTION OE RAIN. 23 

been for nearly two weeks previous ; but between 
four and six in the afternoon there was a shower; 
and about midnight a heavy rain commenced which 
lasted, with varying intensity, until four o'clock in 
the afternoon of the following day. 40 After this 
there was another spell of dry weather, broken by 

ANOTHER ENGAGEMENT AT VICKSBURG, 

occurring on the 22nd of July, 1862. On this day 
the " Benton," " Louisville " and " Cincinnati " 
attacked the upper batteries, while the "Essex" 
and ram "Queen of the West" went down and 
attacked the rebel ram "Arkansas" in her place 
at the levee. The action commenced at 4.30 A.M., 
the weather being at the time clear and calm. 
Soon after the action a light variable wind sprang 
up. In the afternoon the sky became overclouded, 
with light west wind. From four to six P.M. clear 
and calm again. In the evening it again became 
overcast, with light wind first from south then from 
west, and after midnight variable. From noon to 
four P.M. fresh southwest wind with rain. 41 

Tremendous rains fell during the night of each 
day of 

THE BATTLE OF PITTSBURG LANDING, OR SHILOH, 

Tennessee, fought on the 6th and 7th of April, 
1862. The morning of the sixth was clear and 
beautiful, with no indications of a storm, but the 
day's terrific battle was followed by a night of 

40 Log of the "Benton." *iLog of the " Benton." 



24 THE ARTIFICIAL 

drenching rain. 42 The battle of the next day was 
also succeeded in the night by a fearful storm, 
which, in this case, consisted of rain, hail and sleet. 
" An impressed New Yorker," in writing of the 
retreat of the Confederate army on this terrible 
night, says: "And to add to the horrors of the 
scene, the elements of heaven marshalled their 
forces — a fitting accompaniment of the tempest 
of human desolation and passion which was raging. 
A cold drizzling rain commenced about nightfall, 
and soon came harder and faster, then turned to 
pitiless, blinding hail. This storm raged with unre- 
lenting violence for three hours. I passed long 
wagon trains filled with wounded and dying sol- 
diers, without even a blanket to shield them from 
the driving sleet and hail, which fell in stones as 
large as partridge eggs until it lay on the ground 
two inches deep." 49 

In the list of military conflicts followed by rain, 
is also to be placed the 

BATTLE OF BULL PASTURE MOUNTAIN, OR M'DOWELL. 

This battle was fought in Western Virginia, on the 
8th of May, 1862; and the circumstances connected 
with the rain were such as to aid in confirming an 
officer, who was present, in his belief that rain was 
a direct result of battle. 50 

42 See appended Documents Nos. 3, 14, 16 and 28. 

49 See Note on page 60, Vol. II. of " American Conflict." 

so See Doc. No. 38. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 25 

In this list is also to be placed General Banks' 

BATTLE OF WINCHESTER, VIRGINIA. 

Banks' retreat from the Shenandoah Valley was 
made on the 24th and 25th of May, 1862 ; and the 
battle occurred on the morning of the 25th, which 
was a dry hot day. The weather which followed is 
thus referred to in history, in connection with the 
movement which was immediately made by General 
Fremont, with a view to intercept Jackson on his 
return from his pursuit of Banks ; viz., " Through 
constant rains and over mountain roads that could 
be made barely passable, he crossed the Allegha- 
nies and descended into the Valley.' 51 

AFTER THE BATTLE OF CROSS KEYS, 

fought in the Shenandoah Valley between Generals 
Fremont and Jackson, on the 8th day of June, 1862, 
it again rained in that section of the country, 52 and 
on the night of the ninth the rain had extended to 
the Southeastern part of the State. 53 The battle of 
Port Republic was fought by the same forces on the 
ninth, and again on the night of the tenth rain 
appeared in Southeastern A^irginia. 54 
The history of 

GENERAL M'CLELLAN'S CAMPAIGN ON THE PENINSULA, 

from the investment of Yorktown to the sanguin : 
ary battle of Malvern Hill, presents a continued 

61 American Conflict, Vol. II., p. 137. 
S2 See Documents 5 and 38. 
53, 54 s e e Document No. 20. 



26 THE ARTIFICIAL 

succession of battles and rains. His first advance 
was commenced on the fourth of April, 1862, and 
was stopped on the night of the sixth, by the fire 
of rebel batteries; and the cannonading that then 
and soon after ensued was followed on the seventh, 
eighth and ninth, at the point of observation of the 
XL S. Steamer Wachusett, with more or less rain 
each day. In tracing the subsequent rains, in con- 
nection with the history of the time, great assist- 
ance is rendered by some extracts which have been 
kindly furnished from the journal of Major Gen- 
eral Heintzelman, who commanded an army corps 
in the campaign. 

Commencing with the operations immediately 
preceding the 



we find that on the second of May, 1862, " some 
five hundred shot and shells were fired by the 
rebels." The next day it " threatened rain, but 
turned clear and pleasant." 55 

On the night of the third, " the rebels were very 
busy until after midnight firing (artillery)." On 
this night they abandoned their works at York- 
town, and being pursued the next day (May 4), 
there ensued, at 

FORT MAQRUDER, 

in front of Williamsburg, a sharp cannonade. 56 

55 See Document No. 20. 
^American Conflict. Vol, II,, p. 122. 



PRODUCTION OF BAIN. 27 

During the following night a heavy rain set in. 57 
The next day was fought the 

BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURG. 

It rained through the clay and into the night follow- 
ing. 58 

THE FIGHTING ON THE CHICKAHOMINY, 

between the advance of the army and the rebels, 
commenced on the twenty-fourth of May. On the 
twenty-seventh we read of " pouring rains." 59 At 
this date occurred the 

BATTLE OF HANOVER COURT HOUSE, 

and on the thirtieth there was a heavy thunder 
storm, the rain falling in torrents. 60 

On the afternoon of May 31, and morning of 
June 1, was fought the great 

BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS, OR SEVEN PINES. 

On the morning of the second it began to rain ; 
during the night of that day it rained heavily ; and 
on the night of the third and morning of the fourth 
the very flood-gates of heaven seemed to be opened. 
By the fearful rains which followed this battle, the 
surrounding country was flooded, and movements 
on the part of either army rendered, for a time, 
almost impossible. 61 

57 See Document No. 20. 

58 See Document No. 20. 

59 "American Conflict," Vol. II., p. 141. 

go See Document No. 20 

61 See Doc. No. 20. Also Gen. McClellan's official dispatches, etc. 



28 THE ARTIFICIAL 

The weather, after this rain, remained unsettled 
for some days — but without attempting to show a 
connection between this fact and the tiring that 
occurred in the meantime between the two armies 
still facing each other on the Chickahominy, I will 
pass over a period of about two weeks to notice 
some 

GUNBOAT FIRING ON JAMES RIVER. 

In the journal of Major General Heintzelman it is 
recorded, under date of June 17, 1862, " The gun- 
boats were firing nearly two hours to-day, " and 
under date of the eighteenth, " Since dark a heavy 
wind and rain." 62 

ARTILLERY FIRING IN FRONT OF HOOKER. 

Under date of June 21, we read : " Suddenly a brisk 
fire of musketry ran along Hooker's front, followed 
by artillery ; " and under date of the twenty-second, 
u ¥e have had a few drops of rain since dark." On 
the twenty-third, also, there were " Showers of rain 
with a little thunder." 63 

MORE ARTILLERY FIRING. 

Under date of the twenty-fourth it is recorded : 
"At dawn heavy musketry commenced, soon fol- 
lowed by artillery; " and, " Had another heavy rain 
a little before night." 64 

Let me pause here a moment to remark, what 
indeed must be obvious, that neither artillery firing 

62, 63 and 64 See Document No. 20. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 29 

nor any moans within the resources of nature, can 
extract an unlimited amount of water from a lim- 
ited amount of air within a limited time. In the 
month of June, up to and including the date last 
given, vast quantities of rain had fallen on ground 
occupied by the contending armies; and we might 
naturally expect that the atmosphere would, for a 
time, respond slowly to further calls upon it. Yet 
it required but a little time to receive new acces- 
sions of vapor for the production of other great 
rains, as will be seen. 
The famous 



commenced in the afternoon of the twenty-sixth 
of June, 1862, with the battle of Mechanicsville, 65 
though there was an affair on the preceding day 
that involved a loss of some five hundred men in 
killed, wounded and missing. On the twenty- 
seventh was fought the sanguinary 

BATTLE OF GAINES 5 MILL, 

and on the twenty-eighth there was considerable 
artillery firing, but no regular battle. The twenty- 
seventh was a bright clear day, as was also the 
twenty-eighth, except that on the morning of the 
twenty-eighth there was, for a time, an appearance 
as of coming rain ; but on the night of the twenty- 
eighth and morning of the twenty-ninth, it rained 

65 For the authority for this division, see Greeley's American 
Conflict, Vol. II., page 167, 



30 THE ARTIFICIAL 

heavily. 66 This rain appears to have been confined 
to a comparatively limited extent of country. 
On the twenty-ninth was fought 

THE BATTLE OF SAVAGE'S STATION. 

A heavy thunder storm followed in the night, pass- 
ing over a part of the country East of and near the 
battle-field, though perhaps not reaching the field 
itself. At a point on the Pamunkey River, between 
White House and the York River, the storm lasted 
with varying severity for from five to six hours, 
during two of which the rain fell in torrents. 67 

Next day was fought the battle of Glendale, and 
on the next day after, (July 1, 1862), the fearful 

BATTLE OF MALVERX HILL. 

A terrific storm followed, commencing before day- 
light the uext morning, 68 and continuing through 
the day, and during most of the following night ; 
and accompanied, during a portion of its progress, 
with hail, 69 as well as with thunder and lightning, 
and torrents of rain. This storm appears to have 
extended over all the surrounding country. 70 

This day of storm (July 2, 1862), was the last 
of the historic seven of battle and retreat ; but after 
the battle of Malvern Hill there is no account of 

66 See Document No. 26. 

67 See Log of U. S. Steamer Sebago on Pamunkey River. 

c 8See Documents Nos. 1, 20, 26 and 41. 

69 Log of Steamer Sebago in Hampton Roads. 

70 See Log of Steamer Sebago in Hampton Roads, and of the 
" Galena " on James River, 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 31 

further eanonading until the morning of the 3rd, 
when, at half-past 10 A.M., the rebels commenced 

THROWING SHELLS INTO THE CAMP, 

at Harrison's Bar, but were soon driven off by the 
fire of the batteries and of the gunboats. In the 
evening and night of that day it again rained. 71 

While the army remained inactive at Harrison's 
Bar, after the above battles, there occurred an 
instance of 

GUNBOAT FIRING ON JAMES RIVER, 

followed by rain. In the journal to which reference 
has been made, is written, under date of July 15, 
1862; "there has been some gunboat firing down 
the river." Also, under same date, " at dark a 
heavy thunder storm. 72 

Having shown that all the great battles of Gen. 
McClellan's campaign against Richmond were 
followed by great rains, and most of the minor 
collisions by rains more than proportionately heavy, 
I will next show that rain also followed all the 
principal engagements of the army of Virginia, 
commanded by Maj. Gen. Pope, which soon after 
the date last above referred to, advanced against 
the enemy in Virginia, by way of Culpepper Court 
House, on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad. 
The first engagement of this campaign was 

71 Log of the U. S. Steamer Galena on James River, 

72 See Doc. No. 20. 



32 THE ARTIFICIAL 

THE BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN, 

fought August 9, 1862, between Gen. Banks' corps 
and a superior force under Stonewall Jackson. 
Rain followed as usual; 73 but as the amount of 
artillery firing in this engagement was small, so 
likewise was the amount of rain which it apparently 
produced, a certain proportion being observed 
between the two as compared with some other 
battles. 74 

The next engagement of any consequence was at 
the Rappahannock River, on Gen. Pope's retreat, 
and consisted principally in 

LLERY FIRING A 
RAPPAHANNOCK STATION, 

on the 20th, 21st, and 22nd August, it being par- 
ticularly heavy on the 21st and 22nd. In the night 
of the 22nd a tremendous rain set in, which drowned 
all the fords, and carried away all the bridges at 
the front, and rendered impossible an aggressive 
movement which Gen. Pope had meditated. 75 There 
was also a shower in the afternoon. 

The next heavy artillery firing was on the night 
of the 26th, followed by still more on the 27th. 
During this day, different portions of Gen. Pope's 
forces were engaged with the enemy, the most 
serious encounter being the 

73 See Doc. Nos. 11 and 38. 

74 See Doc. No. 38. 

75 Am. Conflict, Vol. II, p. 178. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 33 

FIGHT AT BRISTOW STATION, 

in winch there was a loss of some three hundred 
men on each side. This was followed, at about 9 
o'clock in the evening, by a little rain, and on the 
day following by a heavy shower. 76 
We come next to the 

SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN, 

fought on the 29th and 30th of August, 1862. The 
battle commenced in the morning of the 29th, and 
was followed on the morning of the 31st and after- 
noon of the next clay by heavy rains. 77 

The last of this series of engagements was the 

BATTLE OF CHANTILLY, 

fought September 1, 1862. It was commenced at 
5 P. M., by two divisions under Gen. Reno, which 
attacked a superior force under Stonewall Jackson, 
and were repulsed. Afterwards, Gen. Kearney 
" advanced and renewed the action in the midst of 
" a thunder-storm so violent that ammunition could 
u with great difficulty be kept serviceable, while 
" the roar of cannon was utterly unheard at Centre- 
u ville, barely three miles distant." 73 To the can- 
nonading on the last day of the preceding battle 
this storm should, perhaps, in a great measure be 
attributed. 

T 6 See Docs. Nos. 20 and 38. 

''See Docs. Nos. 1, 5, 11, 20, 22, and 38. 

"3 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 188. See also Docs. Nos. 11 and 20. 



34 THE ARTIFICIAL 

At the 

GREAT BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, 

in Maryland, the phenomenon of rain following the 
discharge of artillery was again exhibited. The 
battle was fought on the 17th of September, 1862; 
the rain was on the afternoon of the 18th, and con- 
sisted of a sudden and heavy shower. 79 

THE BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE, OR CHAPLIN'S CREEK, 
KENTUCKY, 

fought between the armies of Generals Buell and 
Bragg, on the 8th of October, 1862, furnishes a 
remarkable instance of rain following artillery 
firing, during a time in which the state of the 
atmosphere would be considered by some as exceed- 
ingly unfavorable to the production of that phe- 
nomenon. A great drouth was prevailing in the 
State at that time, causing severe privation and 
suffering in the army both to men and animals ; 80 
but the battle seems to have brought a change, for 
a heavy rain followed. 81 This fact is important, as 
it shows that a state of drouth by no means proves 
that there are not ample supplies of aqueous vapor 
somewhere within reach of the noise and concussion 
produced by the discharge of ordnance, and which 
can be drawn on for rain at any time. 

THE BATTLE OF PRAIRIE GROVE, ARK., 

fought Dec. 7, 1862, furnishes a somewhat similar 

•9 See Appended Documents, Nos. 1, 2, 22, and 33. 
so Am. Conflict, Vol. II. page 218. si See Doc. No. 8. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 35 

instance. We read in history that the weather 
at the time was clear and dry ; s ' 2 and yet we learn 
that on the day after the battle it rained. 83 
The firing at the 

CAPTURE OF VAN BUREN, ARK., 

was also followed by rain. SJ 
A heavy storm followed the 

ATTACK ON THE DEFENCES ON THE NORTH SIDE OF 
VICKSBURG, 

by the formidable expedition that was sent against 
that place in December, 1862, under General Sher- 
man and Admiral Porter. From the commence- 
ment of the debarkation of the troops, on the morn- 
ing of the 26th, until the battle, the weather was 
good, being for the most part " clear and pleasant. 59 
There was some preliminary fighting on the 28th, 
and on the 29th the grand assault was made, the 
battle commencing early in the day. Between four 
and six in the evening rain commenced to fall, and 
from eight to midnight it came down in torrents. 
This rain continued until about eight o'clock the 
next morning. 85 

THE BATTLE OE MURFREESBORO, OR STONE RIVER, 

is one of the many great battles that have com- 
menced in fine weather and ended in pouring rain. 

82 American Conflict. Vol. II. page 37. 

S3 See Docs. Nos. -land 34. 

84 See Doc. No. 4. 

a 5 Log of the Benton. See also, Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 291. 



36 THE ARTIFICIAL 

This battle was fought on the 31st of December, 
1862, and 1st and 2nd of January, 1863. The first 
day of the battle was bright 86 and clear, but on the 
last a heavy storm set in, which continued through 
the night and a great part of the following day. 87 

We have seen that nearly all 88 the battles, both 
great and small, of the Eastern armies, up to and 
including that of Antietam, were followed by rain. 
After Antietam, the next great battle fought by the 
Army of the Potomac was the 

BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, VA., 

fought Dec. 13, 1862, and the same is true of this 
as of the others. The day of the battle, with the 
exception that there was a fog in the morning, was 
bright and sunny, 89 but a heavy storm of rain fol- 
lowed, commencing on the night of the 15th, while 
the army was re-crossing the Rappahannock. 90 

Next in order of the battles of the Army of the 
Potomac was the 

BATTLE OF CHAXCELLORSVILLE, 

fought May 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 1863, and at this, too, 
the same phenomenon was exhibited. On the third 
day after the commencement of the movement, in 
the midst of a rapid cannonade, there came on a fear- 

86 Greeley's American Conflict, Vol. II. p. 279. 
37 See Docs. 8, 14, 16, 28 and 29. Also, Am. Conflict, Vol. II, 
p. 280. 

88 The battle of South Mountain, Md., fought Sept. 14, 1862, 
seems to have been the most marked exception to the general rule. 

89 Am. Conflict, Vol. II, p. 344. 

90 See Docs. 1, 2, 13, 22, 31 and 38. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 37 

ful thunder storm, and for a time the soldiers fight- 
ing in the woods were unable to distinguish the 

" artillery of heaven " from that of earth. 91 In the 
afternoon and night of May 5, the storm was so 
violent as to cause a great flood in the Rappahan- 
nock, sweeping away some of the pontoons forming 
the bridges on which the army was that night 
re-crossing the river ; thus delaying the movement 
and threatening for a time to lead to serious conse- 
quences. 92 

It also rained 93 immediately after the 

BATTLE OF BEVERLEY FORD, VIRGINIA, 

fought June 9, 1863. This was a sharp fight, 
lasting about half a day, the forces engaged on 
the Union side consisting, besides cavalry, of two 
brigades of infantry and two batteries of artillery 
detached from the Army of the Potomac. 

Following; Chancellorsville.the next great encoun- 
ter of the Army of the Potomac with that of General 
Lee was 

THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, PA., 

fought July 1, 2 and 3, 1863; and this, too, was fol- 
lowed by a rain, and one that one would compare, 
in the amount of water that fell, with the rains 
which had followed any of the previous battles. 
The battle was fought in clear weather, except that 
during the first day's fight there was a slight shower, 

91 See Doc. No 24. 

92 See Docs. Nos. 1, 2, 12, 22, 25 and 38. 

93 See Doc. No. 11. 



38 THE ARTIFICIAL 

and again another in the evening of that day, tut 
they were both so unimportant as to have been gen- 
erally unnoticed. The great rain commenced on 
the night of the 3rd, about six hours after the firing 
had ceased; and through the 4th, and also part of 
the 5th, it rained furiously. The storm must also 
have extended a great distance southwestward, as it 
caused a flood in the Potomac which lasted several 
days, stopping, in the meantime, the retreat of the 
rebel army. 94 At Westminster, about thirty miles 
in a southeasterly direction from the battle field, the 
rain seems to have commenced about eighteen hours 
later than at the latter place ; and it continued to 
rain there heavily through the second night after 
battle. 95 

After the return of the Confederate army to Vir- 
ginia, pursued by the Army of the Potmac, rain 
still continued to follow their battles. The 

ENGAGEMENT NEAR BRISTOW STATION 

may be mentioned as an instance. A former engage- 
ment at that place has already been referred to. The 
second was a fight which occurred on the 14th of 
October, 1863, between portions of the respective 
armies, in which six pieces of artillery were cap- 
tured from the Confederates, while the loss of the 
Union side in killed and wounded was about 200 
men. This, on the 16th, was followed by a heavy 

94 See Docs. Nos. 2, 3, 5, 11, 20, 24, 26, 31 and 38. 

95 See Doc. No. 12. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 39 



rain, rendering the creeks unfordable, and seriously 
interfering with the plans of the Union commander. 96 
The affair of 



MINE RUN, VA,, 

is another instance. This movement took place in 
November, 1863. The heaviest fighting was on the 
27th, being such as to entail a loss on either side 
of from 300 to 500 men in killed and wounded. 
The next day at evening there was a pelting rain. 97 
The 

DESTRUCTION OF THE REBEL STEAMER, NASHVILLE, 

near Fort McAllister, Ga., by the IT. S. vessels, 
Montauk, Seneca, Wissahicon, and Dawn, furnishes 
a good instance of heavy rain apparently brought 
on by an action in which only a moderate number 
of guns were employed. On one side were the 
Union vessels named, which fired deliberately, and 
on the other the Nashville and the fort. The 
engagement took place on the 28th of February, 
1863, and lasted two hours and three-quarters. 
The following is from the log of the steamer 
Montauk : 

February 28, from 12 to 4, A.M., " Light, variable 
airs and clear weather." * * * "At 7.07 opened 
fire on the Nashville, aground in 7 mile reach." 

From 12 to 4, P.M., "Light easterly winds and 
partially overcast." 

" 96 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 396. 
97 American Conflict, Vol. II. p. 401. 



40 THE ARTIFICIAL 

From 6 to 8, P.M., " Moderate wind from S.W.; 
cloudy and rainy." 

From 8 to 12, midnight, " Light baffling winds 
and much rain." 

February 29, from 12 midnight to 2 A.M., 
" Incessant rain." 

March 1, 8 to 12 A.M., " Pleasant." 

THE BATTLE OF CARNEY'S BRIDGE, LA., 

fought January 14, 1863, and in which four gun- 
boats and four or five regiments of troops were 
engaged, was followed in the night by a furious 
rain, which commenced about 1 A.M., and con- 
tinued, with varying severity, until 8. There had 
been some rain the night before, and the morning 
of the action was cloudy. 98 
At 

PORT HUDSON, 

on the Mississippi River, a number of naval and 
military engagements occurred that were each fol- 
lowed by rain. The first that will be mentioned 
was the 

PASSAGE OF THE BATTERIES 

by Admiral Farragut, with a number of vessels of 
his fleet, on the night of the 14th of March, 1863. 
Fire was opened at about half-past 11, and " soon 
" the earth trembled to the roar of all the rebel 
" batteries."* A vast bonfire was kindled, by the 

9S Log of the "Calhoun." 

* Am. Conflict. Vol. II. p. 329. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 41 

light of which the rebel gunners poured their fire 
into the passing vessels, while the latter replied 
with broadside after broadside, as each came within 
range. This commotion of earth and air was not 
without its effects. The weather of the day pre- 
ceding and morning following the action showed 
blue sky, with detached clouds; and at the com- 
mencement of the fight there was a light breeze 
blowing from the northward. Soon after the battle 
commenced, however, it became calm, and so con- 
tinued until about 9 o'clock the next evening. 
But before this time the storm had commenced — 
coming up between 12 and 1 in the afternoon. At 
1 it rained, and at 2 it poured. From this time 
until 10 o'clock at night it rained incessantly, the 
rain, until 8, falling in torrents." 
The 



by Gen. Banks, May 27, 1863, was also followed by 
heavy rain. The sky, on the morning of that day, 
was cloudless, but on the 29th it rained heavily and 
continuously for four hours. 100 

Again, on the 9th of June, 1863, during a spell 
of clear and pleasant weather, it is recorded in the 
log book of the " Hartford," that heavy firing was 
heard at Port Hudson. The next morning the sky 
became overcast, but the clouds afterwards dispersed, 
and from 4 to 8 A.M. it was again " clear and 

99 Log of the U. S. Steam Sloop "Hartford." 
ioo Log of the Hartford. See also Doc. No. 41. 



42 THE ARTIFICIAL 

pleasant." But, on the morning of this day (the 
10th) an attempt was made by Gen. Banks, under a 

HEAVY FIRE OF ARTILLERY, 

to establish his lines within attacking distance of 
the enemy's works. 1 The firing was heavier than 
that of the day before, and within less than twenty- 
four hours it was followed by floods of rain. The 
log of the Hartford for the 11th says: "About 3.20 
A.M., squall of wind; let go the port anchor; rain 
came up from northward, and continued to blow 15 
minutes, and rain until 4 A.M." (the end of the 
watch). The officer of the next watch (from 4 to 8 
A.M.) enters in the log the following : " Heavy 
firing at Port Hudson during the watch, also heavy 
rain." 

This latter 

FIRING AT PORT HUDSON 

was followed, after a cessation of the above storm 
for some hours during the middle of the day, by a 
violent shower in the latter part of the afternoon. 2 
Again, at the 

SECOND GENERAL ASSAULT UPON PORT HUDSON 

the same phenomenon was repeated. This assault 
was delivered on the 14th of June, 1863. The 
weather on the 12th had become " clear and 
pleasant, with light breeze from northward ; " but 

1 Am. Conflict. Vol. II. p. 335. 

2 Log of the Hartford. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 43 

on the 16th it again rained heavily, with thunder 
and lightning, and with squalls of wind as before. 3 
I have mentioned the bombardment and passage 
of the Vicksburg batteries on the Mississippi by 
Admiral Farragut, on the night of June 28, 1862, 
as an engagement followed soon by a storm of rain 
with heavy thunder and lightning; and his passage 
of the Port Hudson batteries has also been referred 
to as succeeded by a tremendous and long-continued 
shower. It remained for Admiral Porter to try, at 
the former place, a similar experiment. We might 
naturally expect that, if Farragut could bring rain 
by steaming past rebel batteries and engaging them 
as he passed, Admiral Porter could do the same, 
and so it proved. As an exploit of war, the passage 
of the Vicksburg batteries by Porter equalled that 
of Farragut, performed at an earlier period. As a 
scientific experiment for the artificial production of 
rain, it was still more successful. 

porter's passage of the vicksburg batteries 

was made on the night of April 16-17, 1863. Eight 
gunboats passed down, and when opposite to the 
city, " in a moment the whole bluff was ablaze 
with the flashes and quaking to the roar of heavy 
guns rising, tier above tier, along the entire water 
front of the city." 4 The action lasted a little less 
than two hours, terminating at about 1 o'clock in 
the morning of the 17th. It occurred during a 
spell of " clear and pleasant " weather; but on the 

3 Log of the Hartford. * Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 301. 



44 THE ARTIFICIAL 

18th, from 6 to 8 P.M., there was "rain at inter- 
vals/' and from 8 to 12, " heavy squalls, with 
continuous thunder and lightning, and deluges of 
rain." 5 The rain continued to fall heavily until 
about 4 o'clock next morning. 
The 

BATTLE OF RAYMOND, MISS., 

fought May 12, 1863, was followed, on the 14th, 
between the hours of 9 and 11 A.M., by a tremen- 
dous shower. 6 
During the 

SIEGE OF VICKSBURG, MISS., 

which commenced May 19, and ended July 4, 1863, 
there were numerous showers, though at that point 
they were not generally heavy. The following are 
some of the days on which it rained, 7 viz. : 

May 22, 27, 28, and 31, June 10, 15, 16, 23, and 
24. Besides the days on which there was rain, it 
was " cloudy, with appearance of rain," on the 21st 
of May; and cloudy at different hours on the fol- 
lowing days, viz. : May 23 and 25, June 3, 5, 11, 17, 
18, 19, 20, 21, 25, and 26; with " passing clouds " 
on the 27th and 30th. On these days it would 
generally become cloudy for only a few hours, and 
then clear off again. 

While the circumstances attending this siege are 

5 Log of the U. S. Ram "Lafayette." 

6 Am. Conflict. Vol. II. p. 306. 

7 These dates and facts are taken from the Log of the " Black- 
hawk," except the first, which is from that of the " Benton." 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 45 

not such as to afford strong evidence in support of 
the proposition, that artillery firing can at all times 
be made to bring heavy rain, neither do they 
furnish evidence to the contrary. 
Rain followed the 

NAVAL ACTION OFF CHARLESTON HARBOR, 

that ensued on the morning of January 31, 1863, 
when two iron-clad Confederate vessels came out 
and attacked the Union blockading fleet. The 
weather previously had been clear, and so remained 
until 8 A.M. of the next day. It then began to 
get cloudy; at noon the sky was completely over- 
cast; at 7.30 in the evening there was a "light 
sprinkling of rain," and from midnight to 8 A.M. 
the weather is described simply as " rainy." 8 

During other operations by the army and navy in 
front of Charleston, in the year 1863, engagement 
after engagement was followed by rain. Of a long 
series of fights, there were but two where the phe- 
nomenon was not exhibited, and these were followed 
by overclouded skies. 9 

THE ATTACK ON THE DEFENCES OF SECESSIONVILLE, 

on James Island, by General Hunter, was one of 
those where storm quickly succeeded battle. The 
engagement took place on the morning of June 16, 
1863, and eight hours of continuous rain followed it, 

8 Log of the " Keystone State." 

9 Attacks of April 7 and Sept. 5, 1863. 



46 THE ARTIFICIAL 

commencing between 7 and 8 o'clock in the morn- 
ing of the 17th. 10 
The 

ATTACK ON MORRIS ISLAND, 

July 10 and 11, 1863, is another of the list. The 
bombardment, assault and capture of the batteries 
on the south end of the island was made on the 10th, 
and the unsuccessful attack on Fort Wagner on the 
11th. The sky during the first day was cloudless; 
on the second it was cloudy in the morning and 
thickly overcast in the evening, and on the following 
night it rained with extraordinary violence. 11 
Another of this series of engagements was the 

ATTACK ON GENERAL TERRY ON JAMES ISLAND, 

made at daybreak on the morning of July 16, 1863, 
and which was repulsed by the aid of five gunboats, 
which happened to be near. This was only a few 
days after the storm just mentioned, but it had 
passed off and none but detached clouds were visi- 
ble in the sky. It commenced clouding up, how- 
ever, about 5 o'clock in the afternoon ; between 8 
and 9 in the evening it had become rainy and 
squally, and at 11 it commenced to pour in torrents. 
This storm, which continued the greater part of the 
night, 12 and, after an intermission through part of 
the night following, is spoken of in history as " ter- 
rible. 5 ' 13 

io Log of the U. S. Steamer "Pembina." 
ii Log of the "Catskill." 

12 Log of the "New Ironsides." 

13 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 476. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN 47 

Next in the list is the 

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT WAGNER, 

on the 18th of July, 1863. The gunboats com- 
menced firing at 8.30 in the morning, and the 
larger vessels and land batteries at 12.30. " On 
our side fully a hundred great guns steadily thun- 
dered. * * * As the day declined the roar of 
our great guns, no longer incessant, was renewed at 
longer and longer intervals, and finally ceased; our 
iron-clads, save the Montauk, returning to their 
anchorage ; while a thunderstorm burst over land 
and sea, sharp flashes of lightning intermitting and 
intensifying the fast-coming darkness.." 14 * * * 
This storm continued until 4 o'clock the next morn- 
ing 15 

Again, on the 20th of July, as shown by the log 
book of the " New Ironsides," there was 

HEAVY FIRING ON FORT WAGNER. 

Rain followed in the night of the 21st, also on the 
night of the 22nd and 23rd. 

Again, on the 24th of July there was 

ANOTHER ATTACK ON SUMTER, WAGNER AND CUM- 
MINGS POINT BATTERIES. 16 

Heavy rain followed, commencing at 1 A.M. on 
the 25th, and continuing until 11 A.M. 17 

14 Greeley's American Conflict, Vol. II. p. 476. 

15 Log of the "New Ironsides." 

16,17, 18 and 19 Log of the "New Ironsides." 



48 THE ARTIFICIAL 

Again, on the 28th of July there was 

MORE HEAVY FIRING, 

the " James Island batteries firing on our batteries, 
oar mortar batteries firing on Fort Wagner." 18 Rain 
followed the next day at 2 A.M. 19 

The next 
that ensued 



The next enslavement of this series was the one 



WHEN GEN. GILM0RE S SIEGE BATTERIES OPENED FIRE 

on Sumter, Wagner, and the Cummings' Point bat- 
teries. This was on the 17th of August, 1863, 
commencing at a very early hour in the morning. 
There was a light wind at the time from the north- 
west, and the sky showed blue with detached clouds. 
At 7 A.M. the wind became variable, and at 2 P.M. 
it blew lightly from the southeast; at 6 P.M. the 
rain began to fall, and for four hours it poured 
without intermission. 20 The wind changed at 7 
P.M. to the northeast, but it blew gently all that 
day, though we read in history that on the 18th and 
19th a heavy northeaster raged. 21 

I do not doubt that my readers are wearied with 
the sameness of this recital, but I am not yet done 
even with the list of engagements before Charleston 
On the 23rd of August, commencing at 3.15 and 
lasting until 6.30 in the morning, there was an 

20 Log of the "New Ironsides." 
21 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 479. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 49 

ATTACK BY FIVE MONITORS ON FORT SUMTER, MOULTRIE 
REPLYING. 

There had been no rain since the storm last chron- 
icled, nor was there apparently any indications of 
rain when the action commenced, though there w T as 
that morning a fog; but within less than twenty- 
four hours the sky became overclouded, and in 
another hour it rained. 22 
The history of 

ROSECRANS' ADVANCE 

from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, furnishes a further 
instance of the remarkable connection between 
military operations and rain. There was a good 
deal of artillery firing in this movement, 23 and for 
seventeen successive days it rained every day. 24 The 
engagement at 

LIBERTY GAP, 

fought about the 24th of June, 1863, was followed 
by heavy rain. 25 The same is true of the 20 

BATTLE OF SHELBYVILLE, 

fought on the 27th June, 1863. After this engage- 
ment, Elk Kiver became so swollen as to stop for 
some days the pursuit of the retreating Confed- 
erates. 27 

22 Log of the "New Ironsides." 
2 -3See Doc. No. 16. 
2 * Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 409. 
2 *See Doc. No. 29. 

26 See Doc. No. 14. 

2 7 See Am. Conflict Vol. II. p. 410. 



50 THE ARTIFICIAL 

The following may or may not be an instance 
worth recording of the occurrence of rain following 
the discharge of artillery. At T ebb's Bend, on 
Green River, in Kentucky, on the 4th of July, 
1863, the rebel General Morgan, w T ith a force of 
two regiments and four guns, made a desperate but 
unsuccessful attack on a Union force under Col. 0. 
H. Moore, which lasted for several hours. The 
next day he spent seven hours, commencing at sun- 
rise, in endeavoring to 

REDUCE THE DEFENCES AT LEBANON. 

A rain followed, for we read that he finally charged 
into the place, set it on fire and compelled its sur- 
render; and that at dark a furious rain came on, 
during which he raced his prisoners ten miles in 
ninety minutes to Springfield — all except one, who 
being unable or unwilling to keep up with the rest, 
was shot. 28 

A rain occurred also after 

THE BATTLE OF CHICK AM AUGA, GA., 30 

fought Sept. 19 and 20, 1863. A circumstance 
connected with the weather noticed after each day 
of battle was a dense fog ; the one on the morning 
of the 20th was so thick that objects could scarcely 
be distinguished at a few steps distance. 31 The 
battle was fought in the woods, where but little 

28 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 405. 

30 See Doc. No. 14. 

31 See Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 419. Also Doc. No. 8. 



PRODUCTION OP RAIN. 51 

artillery could be used, and where we might expect 
that the effect of concussion would be lessened by 
the interference of the trees with the movement of 
the air. The precise time when the rain occurred 
is not stated, but it is probable, from the reasons 
above given, that it was a little longer in " brewing" 
and less in quantity than the rains which generally 
follow great battles — a supposition to which addi- 
tional probability is given by the fact that, by 
some who were present, this rain is not remembered. 
At the 

BATTLE OF LOOKOUT MOUNTAIN, 

fought on the 23rd and 24th of November, 1863, a 
circumstance occurred of a similar nature, and fully 
as remarkable as would have been the production 
of rain. On the 24th ■" darkness at 2 P.M. arrested 
our victorious arms, the mountain being now envel- 
oped in a cloud so thick and black as to render 
further movement perilous, if not impossible." 32 

THE BATTLE OF MISSION RIDGE, 

fought the next day, was followed by rain. 33 
During Gen. Banks' 

BED RIVER CAMPAIGN, 

in the spring of 1864, in which there was more or 
less fighting daily for several weeks, there was much 
showery weather, 34 but the precise dates on which 

32 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 439. 

33 See Doc. No. 29. 

34 and 36 See Doc. No. 41. 



52 THE ARTIFICIAL 

rains occurred I have not been able generally to 
ascertain. Probably many of tliem were showers 
which extended over only a limited space of country 
—as on the 7th of April we read that a heavy rain 
occurred which greatly retarded the rear of his 
extended column but did not reach its front.35 A 

FIGHT ON THE ATCHAFALAYA RIVER 

has been mentioned 36 as one where the phenomenon 
w r as specially noticeable, from the weather previous 
to the fight having been so clear and bright. The 

ENGAGEMENT NEAR MARKSVILLE 

(or Mansura), which took place May 16, 1864, was 
followed by nearly a week of rain. 37 

gen. Steele's campaign in Arkansas, 

made while Gen. Banks w r as operating in the adjoin- 
ing State, was also attended with heavy rains, 3S some 
of which, it is not impossible, may have had their 
origin in the part of the country then occupied by 
the latter. The 

BATTLE of marks mill, 

fought by a portion of his command on the 25th of 
April, 1864, was followed by rain, for w^e read that 
" by daylight of the 27th his army was across the 
Washita and in full retreat amid constant rains." 39 

35 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 539. 

37 See Doc. No. 41. 

38 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 552. 

39 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 553. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 53 

Oil 

Sherman's Atlanta campaign, 

which was a continuous battle for ninety clays, there 
were heavy rains at short intervals. 40 

AT THE BATTLE OF DALLAS, GA., 

fought May 26, 1864, the circumstance was specially 
noticeable. 

Great rains followed most of the battles of Gen'. 
Grant's campaign against Richmond. The first 
engagement which took place upon his advance 
across the Rapidan was the 

BATTLE OF THE WILDERNESS, 

fought May 5 to 9, 1864, the heaviest fighting being 
on the 5th and 6th, and being for the most part an 
infantry battle, as it took place in the woods, where 
artillery could not be used to advantage. A little 
rain appears to have fallen 41 on the 8th or 9th, 
which increased to heavy thunder-storms after the 
first day of the 

BATTLE OF SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE, 

which was a continuation of the Wilderness battle, 
and one in which much artillery was brought into 
action. This terrible battle was fought on the 10th, 
11th, and 12th. Heavy rain set in on the night of 
the 10th. 42 On the afternoon of the 11th it also 

40 See Docs. Nos. 3, 8 and 29. 

41 See Doc. No. 26. 

42 See Doc. No. 33. 



54 THE ARTIFICIAL 

rained heavily. On the morning of the 12th there 
was a fog of exceeding density, and at noon rain 
set in again and fell in torrents, accompanied with 
thunder and lightning. 43 This storm extended over 
a hundred miles southeastward, and there lasted, 
with varying intensity, until midnight of the 13th. 44 
Gen. Butler's 



fought on the morning of May 16, 1864, was fol- 
lowed by rain in the evening. 45 There was also 
rain on the 18th and 19th, on both of which days 
there was fighting along his front. 
Gen. Grant's 

BATTLE OF NORTH ANNA RIVER, 

which was the next battle of his campaign after that 
of Spottsylvania, was followed by a heavy storm 
of rain, accompanied with thunder and lightning. 46 
The battle was fought on the 23rd of May, 1864, 
and the storm commenced the day after, 47 and lasted 
during portions of three days. 48 
A spirited 

FIGHT AT HAWES SHOP, 

which occurred on the 28th of May, and in which 

43 See Docs. Nos. 2, 25, 33. Also Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 571. 

44 Log of the U. S. Steamer, "Commodore Perry," on James 
River. 

45 Log of the U. S. Steamer, "Agawam," on James River. 

46 See Doc. No. 25. 

47 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 579. Also Log of Steamer Agawam. 

48 Log of U. S, Steamer Agawam, 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 55 

the aggregate loss on both sides was some 1,200 
men, was followed in the night of that day by rain 49 
on James River. 

Tremendous rains accompanied and followed the 

BATTLE OF COLD HARBOR OR BETHESDA CHURCH, 

which was the next engagement of this campaign. 
This fearful battle was fought on the 1st, 2nd, and 
3rd of June, 1864; the commencement, on the 1st, 
being at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. So far as can 
be known from the state of the weather some fifty 
miles southeastward, there had been no rain since 
the night of May 28 ; and the battle was com- 
menced under a cloudless sky. 50 But on the night 
of the 2nd there was a heavy rain; the next night 
there was another, and the third day of battle was 
followed by a third. Each separate day's encounter 
seems to have been followed by a separate rain, and 
the last — the one in which, for a time, the fighting 
was so furious, that in the space of twenty minutes 
" fully ten thousand of our men were stretched 
writhing on the sod, or still and calm in death " 51 — 
was followed by one of some twenty-four hours' 
duration, commencing in the afternoon of the suc- 
ceeding day. 52 

The following are some of the other engagements 
of this campaign that were followed by rain, viz. : 

49 Log of IT. S. Steamer Agawam. 

50 Log of the ; ' Agawam." 

51 Quoted from Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 582. 

52 Log of the U. S. Steamer "Agawam," on James River. See 
also Doc. No. 2. 



56 THE ARTIFICIAL 

FIGHT AT BAILEY'S CREEK, 

August 12, 1864. Rain followed on the 14th. 53 

A SECOND ENGAGEMENT AT BAILEY'S CREEK, 

August 16, 1864. Rain followed on the 17th. 54 
Battle for the possession of the 

WELDON RAILROAD, 

fought August 18, 1864. Thunderstorm followed 
in the night. 55 
Two other 

ENGAGEMENTS ON THE WELDON RAILROAD, 

August 21, 1864. Same remark as to the above. 56 

ASSAULT AND CAPTURE OF FORT HARRISON, 

September 29, by General Butler. Rain next after- 
noon 57 on James River. 

ATTEMPT TO RETAKE FORT HARRISON, 

by the rebels, September 30, 1864. Rain in the 
night and next forenoon on James River. 58 
Battle on the 

SQUIRREL LEVEL ROAD. 

Heavy rain immediately after. 59 At a point on the 
James River, the shower occurred between 8 P.M. 
and midnight of the same day. 60 

53, 54 L g f the Steamer Agawam. 

55 . so gee Docs. 25 and 36. 

57,58, go, 61, G3 L g f the Steamer Agawam. 

59 See Doc. No, 24. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 57 

ACTION AT THE FRONT, 

October 2, 1864. Rain next afternoon. 61 

BATTLE OF HATCHER'S RUN, 

fought October 27, and the last one of Grant's 
battles for the year 1864. A heavy storm followed, 
accompanied with thunder and lightning. 62 At a 
point on the James River the rain poured for seven 
hours 63 during the night after the battle. 
In West Virginia, the 

FIGHT AT DUBLIN BRIDGE, 

May 10, 1864, was followed by a fall of rain. 64 
In the Virginia A r alley, the 



fought May 15, 1864, was also followed by rain. 65 
There was some 

CANNONADING AT MARYLAND HEIGHTS, 

on the night of July 6, 1864, and sharp fighting on 
the 7th, was followed, on the night of the 7th, by a 
little rain, and on the next night by an " awful rain." 
The previous weather had been very dry. 66 
The 

BATTLE OF WINCHESTER 

(Crook's), fought July 24, 1864, was also preceded 

62 See Docs. Nos. 24 and 25. 
64 See Doc. No. 17. 
65See Doc. No. 23. 
6« See Doc. No. 18. 



58 THE ARTIFICIAL 

by a long spell of dry weather ; but the next day 
there was a hard rain. 67 

The general character of the weather in the 
Shenandoah Valley in the months of August and 
September, 1864, was that of drouth, and it is only 
remembered as such by an officer who has favored 
me with a communication upon the subject. 68 Yet 
an actual record that was kept of the weather in 
that section, during a part of the time mentioned, 
shows frequent instances of 

RAIN FOLLOWING ARTILLERY SKIRMISHING. 69 

I quote : 

August 17. " Clear at daylight." " Heavy fire 
of artillery " during the day. 

August 18. " Rain." 

August 19. " Skirmishing near Berry ville." 

August 20. " Rain." 

September 3. "Cloudy; heavy artillery and 
musketry in the direction of Berryville." "Rain." 

On the same day. " Still fighting far away into 
the night." Next day, " Rain." 

Skirmishing also on the 4th. Rain on the 5th. 

Also on the 5th, "Skirmishing heavy." Sep- 
tember 6, " Rain all day." 

September 9, " Smart skirmishing." September 
10, "Rain." September 12, "Rain." 

September 13, " Clear ; " " Cannonading heavy." 
September 14, "Rain;" 15, "Cloudy;" 16, 
" Rain." 

67 and 6s See Docs. Nos. 17, 18, and 23. 
69 See Doc. No. 18. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 59 

The above memoranda were made by a Confed- 
erate officer, who was killed at the battle of Ope- 
(juan Creek, near Winchester, Sept. 19, 1864, and 
some extracts from whose diary have been pub- 
lished. 70 

What entry he would have made had lie lived after 
that battle, and the battle of Fisher's Hill, fought 
three days later, remains a mystery; but in the 
southeastern part of the same State (Virginia) it 
rained hard soon after each of those battles — the 
first rain occurring on the night of the 21st and the 
second about the middle of the day on the 23d. 71 

At the naval action and the bombardment of 
the forts at the entrance of Mobile Bay, further 
instances of the phenomenon under consideration 
were exhibited. There had been a shower on the 
day preceding the commencement of operations, 
but the weather on the evening of that day, and at 
the commencement of the first engagement, was 
such as the words, " blue sky with detached clouds, 7 ' 
are used in the navy to describe. The 

PASSAGE OF THE FORTS AND BATTLE WITH THE 
GUNBOATS, 

which took place on the morning of Aug. 5th, com- 
mencing at 6.45 A.M., was followed by about two 
hours of rain, which commenced at 9 o'clock 
A.M. 79 

• ™l n Putnam's "Record of the Rebellion," Vol. XI. p. 153. 
71 Log of the Steamer "Agawam " on James River. 
'2 Log of the U. S. Steam Sloop " Hartford." 



60 THE ARTIFICIAL 

The 

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT GAINES, 

on the 6th, was followed by a thunder-shower on the 

8th. 73 
The 

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT MORGAN, 

on the 9th, was followed by two excessively stormy 
days on the 10th and 11th, on which there was rain, 
thunder and lightning and squalls of wind. 74 The 
rain which fell at this time is described by an officer 
who was present as exceedingly copious. 75 

THE BATTLE OF FRANKLIN, TENN., 

was followed by a rain that froze as it fell, and cov- 
ered the country with ice. 76 This battle was fought 
Nov. 30, 1864. 
The 

BATTLE OF THE CEDARS 

was also immediately followed by rain. 77 This battle 
was fought shortly after the battle of Franklin, by 
troops under Gen. Milroy, sent from Mnrfreesboro 
to the relief of Fortress Rosecrans, invested by the 
rebels Dec. 4. 

THE GREAT BATTLE OF NASHVILLE, 

fought Dec. 15 and 16, 1864, was followed by one 

73 and 74 Log of the IT. S. Steam Sloop " Hartford." 

75 See Doc, No. 4. 

76 and 77 See Doc. No. 5. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 61 

of the most tremendous rains that have ever been 
noticed in connection with military operations. 78 
For several days the rain fell incessantly. "The 
country was flooded; the brooks were raging rivers/' 
and "the roads were hardly passable in the rear of 
the fleeing foe." 79 
At the 

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT FISHER, 

Dec. 24 and 25, 1864, we again find rain following 
heavy explosions. The experiment which was tried 
of exploding a ship-load of powder under the walls 
of the fort, took place at 1.45 A.M. of the 24th, and 
the bombardment by the fleet commenced at half- 
past 11 A.M., and continued during the remainder 
of the day. The next day it was renewed for seven 
hours. On the first day there were no indications 
of rain, nor had there been on the day preceding; 
but on the second day, at 1 o'clock in the afternoon, 
it became cloudy, and at 7 in the evening rain com- 
menced, which continued through the greater part 
of the night. During the first part of the night it 
only drizzled, but in the latter part for two hours it 
rained heavily. The morning that followed was 
rainy and squally, and after an intermission rain 
fell again in the middle of the day for about an 
hour. 80 

7S See Docs. 5, 28 and 29. 

79 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 687. 

8° Log of the U. S. Steamer " Malvern." 



62 THE ARTIFICIAL 

The 

SHELLING OF THE WOODS 

by the gunboats on the 27th, during the re-embark- 
ation of troops belonging to the expedition, whose 
operations at Fort Fisher have just been noticed, 
w T as followed by more rain on the 28th, though on 
the 27th there had been none. 81 

The expedition against Fort Fisher above referred 
to will be remembered as the one which was unsuc- 
cessful. But the 

SECOND EXPEDITION AGAINST FORT FISHER, 

and the one that effected its capture, met, in the 
character of the w T eather that attended its opera- 
tions, a somewhat similar experience. In the latter 
case, however, the storm was principally hail instead 
of rain. The operations of the fleet commenced 
in a heavy bombardment in the night of January 
12, 1865, to cover the landing of the troops. There 
w T ere no clouds during the day, except detached 
ones, and from 9 P.M. untilmidnight the sky was 
perfectly clear. But in the afternoon of the 13th, 
there was a hail storm, commencing at 2 P.M., and 
lasting, with an intermission of two hours, until 
midnight, after which it broke aw 7 ay. 82 

THE FIRING IN THE NIGHT OF THE 13TH 

w r as followed by a second change of weather on the 

81 Log of the Steamer "Malvern." 

8 2 Log of the U. S. Steamer, " Malvern." 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 63 

14th, the sky becoming overcast for four hours; 83 
but the weather afterwards returned to its normal 
condition — " blue sky with detached clouds/' 

The bombardment, assault, and capture of the 
fort on the 15th, was followed, on the 16th, by two 
hours of drizzling rain. 84 

THE BATTLE OF AVERYSBORO, N. C, 

fought March 16, 1865, was also followed by rain. 
History relates that at the close of this battle, 
" Night fell dark and stormy." 85 
The 

BATTLE OF BENTONVILLE, N. C, 

fought March 18, 1865, was likewise followed by 
rain, which on the 21st was heavy. 86 

We have seen that at the bombardment and 
capture of the lower forts at Mobile Bay, rain 
followed each operation- of the fleet. The same is 
true of the operations of the army of Gen. Canby, 
and fleet of Rear- Admiral Thatcher, in the 

REDUCTION OF THE UPPER FORTS AND CAPTURE OF 
THE CITY OF MOBILE, 

months of March and April, 1865. 

The preliminary firing by the army and navy in 
approaching the city was followed by rain on the 
evening and night of March 27. 87 The nature of 

83, 84 Log of the U. S. Steamer, " Malvern." 

85.Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 707. 

86 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. page 708. 

87 Log of the U. S. Steamer " Octorara." 



64 THE ARTIFICIAL 

some of this firing is shown by the following 
extract from the New York Times of April 7, 1865, 
viz. : u Gen. Steele's command met with much 
opposition, but no regular battle was fought until 
at Mitchell's Fork, on the morning of the 27th, 
where the enemy, numbering 800, made a stand, 
and after a severe fight were repulsed." There was 
also some gunboat firing about this time, and two 
of our vessels were blown up by torpedoes and 
destroyed. Previous to this rain there had been 
none for five or six days at the place or places of 
observation of the steamer " Octorara," one of the 
vessels engaged in the operations. 

THE SIEGE OF SPANISH FORT 

was opened on the 28th. The firing of this day 
and the next w^as followed by a heavy thunder- 
storm in the night of the 29th, accompanied with 
squalls of wind. 88 

Several other showers occurred, the last being on 
the 9th, the last day of the siege, and following the 
tremendous fire which was concentrated on Spanish 
Fort at nightfall on the previous day, and which 
effected its reduction. 

The rain which followed the various engagements 
of this and the former expedition against Mobile, 
is described by an officer w r ho was present, as more 
copious than any he had ever before witnessed. 89 

88 Log of the Octorara. 

8 9 See Doc. No. 4. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 65 

THE BATTLE OF DABNEY'S MILL, VA., 

fought February 6, 1865, was followed next morn- 
ing by a fall of snow.* 

At the renewal of active operations before Rich- 
mond in the spring of 1865, storm still followed 
battle. 

THE GENERAL ADVANCE BY GRANTS ARMY 

was made on the 29th of March, 1865, on which 
day was fought the battle of Quaker Road, and all 
that night and next day rain fell heavily. 90 

The last instance of the kind drawn from the late 
war of the rebellion which I shall mention is the 

BATTLE OF FIVE FORKS, 

immediately preceding the capture of Richmond. 
This battle, fought March 31, 1865, was, like so 
many others before it, followed by rain. 91 Before 
the battle commenced, the storm which followed 
the previous battle had ceased. 92 

So far I have only given instances of rain follow- 
ing the discharge of artillery occurring in the 
United States and Mexico, and in wars in which 
the army and navy of the United States took part. 
But in other parts of the world the same phenom- 
enon has been noticed. The first instance that will 
be mentioned is one that was observed in the 

*See Doc. No. 33. 

90 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 731. See also Docs. Nos. 2 and 33, 

91 See Doc. No 2. 

92 Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 731, 



66 THE ARTIFICIAL 

harbor of Rio cle Janiero, by one of our naval 
officers, some 27 or 28 years ago, on the occasion 
of the arrival there of the Princess of Naples, now 
Empress of Brazil. She was accompanied by the 
Neapolitan and Brazilian squadrons, and upon her 
arrival, the fortifications and foreign squadrons 
began to fire. The firing continued for an hour or 
more, when the sky was suddenly obscured, and 
heavy showers followed. Previous to this, the 
weather had been clear and beautiful. The next day 
was calm and partly overcast ; as soon as the firing 
of salutes was resumed, the breeze sprang up, and 
the rain began to fall. 93 



fought on the 26th and 27th of August. On the 
27th the battle was renewed, under torrents of rain, 
and amid a tempest of hail. (Scott's Napoleon, 
chap. 27, p. 190.) 94 

THE BATTLE OF LIGNY, 

fought on the 16th of June. " After the battle the 
weather was dreadful, as the rain fell in torrents." 
(Scott's Nap. chap. 27, p. 323.) 95 

THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO, 

as all know, was fought in a pouring rain, brought 
on, without doubt, by the battles of Ligny and 
Gemappe, which preceded it. 

93 See Doc. No. 37. 

94- ^Espy's "Philosophy of Storms." 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 67 

THE BATTLE OF EYLAU, 

fought on the 8th of February. The action com- 
menced at daybreak. Two strong columns advanced 
for the purpose of turning the right and storming 
the centre of the Russians, but the^ were repulsed 
in great disorder. The Russian infantry stood like 
stone ramparts, and kept back the enemy with a 
heavy and well-sustained fire from their artillery. 
About midday a heavy storm of snow commenced 
falling, which added to the obscurity caused by the 
smoke from the burning village of Serpallen. 
(Scott's Nap.) 96 

Capper on Monsoons, page 171, says : 

AT MADRAS, ON THE 4TH OF JUNE, 1776, 

morning fair, noon cloudy, in the evening rain. 
N". B. More than two hundred pieces of cannon 
fired in salutes; quoere, whether it occasioned the 
rain ? This quoere is particularly appropriate, as 
this is the dry season on the Coromandel coast, and 
it did not rain after this till the 30th of the 
month. 97 
During the 

SIEGE OF VALENCIENNES 

by the allied army, in the year 1793, it rained 
violently every day soon after the heavy cannonad- 
ing commenced. The allies employed 200 heavy 
ordnance, and the besieged had above 100, and they 
were freo^iently all in action at one time. 98 

96, 97, 98, Espy's "Philosophy of Storms." 



68 THE ARTIFICIAL 

M. Arago says, " I shall here repeat two facts 
which occur to my own memory, in the hope that 
they will lead to analogous statements. On the 
25th of August, 1806, being the day selected for 
the 

" ATTACK OF THE ISLET AND FORTRESS OF 
DANNHOLM, NEAR STRAUSLAND, 

" General Fririon, that he might harrass and fatigue 
the Swedish garrison, ordered it to be cannonaded 
during the whole day. In spite of these powerful 
and continued discharges of artillery, a violent 
thunder-storm visited the spot at 9 o'clock in the 
evening. Again it happened, oddly enough, that 

THE ENGLISH LINE OF BATTLE SHIP, THE DUKE, 

of 60 guns, was struck with lightning, in the year 
1793, whilst it was cannonading one of the batteries 
of the Martinieo." 99 

During the late war between France and Prussia, 
the occurrence of storms of rain after battles was 
specially noticeable, particularly so in the months 
of August and September; and the accounts from 
the battle-fields contained many allusions to the 
subject. For instance, immediately after the 

BATTLE OF SEDAN, 

at which the French Emperor was taken prisoner, 
we read, in a telegram dated Donchery, September 
3, " It is raining torrents." 

99 Espj's "Philosophy of Storms," 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN 69 

Again, at the bombardment of Strasburg, in a 
dispatch dated Strasburg, September 8, via London, 
10th, we read, " There are daily thunder-storms, 
and the Ehine has risen, driving the inhabitants 
from their cellars." 

Such accounts, bringing to mind occurrences of 
a similar nature which took place in our own war, 
and which strongly impressed the writer at the 
time with the idea of the practicability of obtaining 
rain at will by the use of gunpowder, led him to 
believe that the time had come when some experi- 
ments ought to be made in the matter, other 
than those which are incidental to battles and 
sieges, and determined him to ask the co-operation 
of those who had observed the phenomena in ques- 
tion, in bringing the subject forward. The day 
after the first publication of an article written with 
this view, a letter appeared in the New York Even- 
ing Post, showing that the matter had already 
received much attention on the other side of the 
Atlantic, and giving many facts bearing upon it . 
The letter is dated at Frankfort-on-the-Maine, Sept. 
14, 1870, but was not published until October 5. 
The following are some extracts : 

" Since the commencement of actual hostilities 
between Germany and France — that is, from about 
the first week in August — to the present time, we 
have had in this part of Germany scarcely a day 
without rain, generally continuous, and often accom- 
panied with thunder-storms. This phenomenon has 
called the attention of the German press to the 



70. THE ARTIFICIAL 

subject, and some valuable historical facts connected 
therewith have been brought to light ; and there 
appears to be little doubt, judging from the data on 
hand, that the many storms and rains which we 
have had in Germany for the past six weeks — a 
most unusual thing at this season here — have been 
brought on by the cannonading and firing of small 
arms in Alsace and Loraine. 

" The Leipsic lllustrirte Zeitung calls to mind a 
remarkable phenomenon observed in the revolu- 
tionary year, 1849. The city of Ofen lies on the 
banks of the Danube, here running due south. The 
hill on which the fortress is situated has an eleva- 
tion of two hundred and thirty-eight feet above that 
river. It is surrounded on three sides by mountains; 
on the south by Gernhardsberg, on the southwest 
by the Adlersberg, on the west by the Schwabenberg 
(one thousand two hundred feet high), and on the 
north by the Geisburg (also one thousand two hun- 
dred feet high). As the insurgents, at noon, on the 
4th of May, 1849, approached the fortress, the latter 
commenced firing eighty-four guns, eighteen and 
twenty-four pounders, in order to prevent the 
besiegers from planting their batteries. Towards 
evening the cannonading on both sides was furious, 
and a stable in the fortress was already on fire. The 
sky, which had been perfectly clear for a number of 
weeks, became overclouded, and towards midnight 
a gentle, fine rain fell, the wind being perfectly 
calm and the shower continuing from one till three. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 71 

A clear morning followed. The previous fine 
weather continued up to the evening of the 17th, 
when a fearful storm raged, coming as usual from 
the west. A house on the Schwabenberg w r as 
struck by lightning, and the storm ended with a 
cloud-burst which cost the besieged the lives of a 
number of horses and men. This storm is supposed 
to have been produced by a 

SIX HOURS BOMBARDMENT OF THE CITY OF PESTH, 

by General Hentzi, from Ofen, on the 13th of May, 
during which engagement six immense mortars of 
great calibre produced tremendous concussions for 
a distance of several miles around. 

"In the year 1859, an uncommonly violent hail- 
storm fell in the faces of the Austrians during the 
battle of Solferino. 

" The Germans bring to mind some very inter- 
esting American experiences. In 1861, Lewis called 
attention in Silliman's American Journal to the fact 
that violent rains and heavy cannonading appeared 
to stand in intimate connection. He said (I quote 
the German) : ' In October, 1825, 1 observed a very 
plentiful rain immediately after the cannonading 
which took place in 

CELEBRATING THE CONNECTING OF LAKE ERIE WITH 
THE HUDSON. 

I published my observations on this event in the 
year 1841, expressing the opinion that the firing of 
heavy guns produces rain in the neighborhood. 



72 THE ARTIFICIAL 

AFTER THE FIRST BATTLE IN THE LAST WAR BETWEEN 
FRANCE, SARDINIA AND AUSTRIA, 

there followed such important rains that even small 
rivers were impassable ; and, 

DURING THE GREAT BATTLE OF S0LFERIN0, 

there broke out such a violent storm that the fight- 
ing was interrupted. In July, 1861, McClelland 
troops, on the upper Potomac, had four separate 
engagements on four clays, and before the close of 
each violent rains fell. '***** 
"The Bohemian campaign of 1866 was accom- 
panied during the whole course by violent rains. 
After 

THE BATTLE OF K(ENIGGRATZ, 

violent rain storms hindered the harvest from being 
properly garnered. 

" The letters of the soldiers in the field, in the 
present war, are full of accounts of ' sleeping on the 
wet ground,' and complaints of the inclemency of 
the weather. The 5th of August, following 

THE BATTLE OF WEISSENBERG, 

was intensely warm. The night of the 6th was 
rainy, and the morning following 

THE BATTLE OF W0ERTH, 

when the telegrams of victory came, found the 
streets full of water-pools and the sky overcast with 
gray, heavy clouds. Since then, we have not had 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 73 

six fine cloudless days. 'From the 6th to the 31st 
of August/ says the Illustrirte Zeitung, 'it rained 
every day, often accompanied by thunder; and these 
continuous and violent rains have caused great dam- 
age in those districts where the harvest was not in 
before the 6th ; the corn has been washed out, the 
straw has been rotted, and the crops have no more 
value.' 

" THE BOMBARDMENT OF STRASBURG 

is accompanied by the grandest meteorological spec- 
tacles. The thunder of the cannon, the blazing of 
the houses, and the curve fire of the shells, are often 
intermingled with the roar of thunder and the 
flashing of lightning. The storms seem to come 
from the Vosges, to break over the doomed city, 
and then to spread over the valley from the Rhine 
to the Schwarzwald, where the grass and trees are 
almost as green as in spring; and it is well known 
that, when the war was declared, Baden, Alsace and 
France w T ere suffering from drought. Great rains 
fell in Hungary on the 15th of August, the day 
after 

THE FIRST BATTLE AROUND METZ. 

In Germany the grapes will be spoiled unless the 
sun shines with its usual power. We are inclined 
to think that the storms here are caused by the firing 
in Alsace, and, up to a week ago, by the bombard- 
ment of Strasburg. For the past three or four days, 
fine weather has set in; and it is a fact that the 



74 THE ARTIFICIAL 

firing at Strasburg is no longer carried on so 
strongly, the King having sent orders that the city 
should now be spared as much as possible from 
shells. We have had thunder-storms here which 
surpassed in grandeur and power everything in the 
experience of the ' oldest inhabitant/'' 5 

The foregoing facts, showing that in different 
parts of the world, and in all seasons, heavy artillery 
firing is almost invariably followed by rain, are 
believed to be sufficient to establish the proposition 
that to produce this phenomenon at will is within 
the reach of human power. Some of the storms 
which have been mentioned w r ould doubtless have 
occurred if there had been no cannonading; indeed, 
in such a large number of days, the chances are 
that, on some, rain, in any case, would have fallen. 
But no calculation of chances can make it appear 
a reasonable supposition that rain would have 
occurred on all, through the ordinary operations of 
nature alone. The average annual number of 
thunder-storms, in the latitude of the United States, 
is a fraction less than 20* — a number totally insuf- 
ficient to give them with the almost unfailing regu- 
larity with which they occurred. 

We have seen that, in our late war, almost every 
battle of the Eastern armies was followed by rain ; 
that rain followed all the great battles of the West, 
and most, if not all, of the battles of the South; 
that it not only followed single battles, but fre- 

* The average of thunder-storms annually, between latitudes 30° 
and 50°, is 19 9-10.— Silliman's Philosophy, p. 660. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 75 

quently each engagement of a series ; that on land 
and on the water, in the interior and on the coast, 
on the Mississippi, on the Gulf and on the Atlantic, 
again and again, storm followed battle; and that 
the phenomenon, confined to no section, was also 
peculiar to no season. We have seen that not only 
in our late war, but in the Mexican war, as well, it 
occurred again and again, and even in the very 
midst of the dry season; and that in North America, 
in South America, in Asia and in Europe, it has 
occurred under circumstances which compelled the 
attention of the observers. These facts have a sig- 
nificance that cannot be lightly set aside, and if 
they do not furnish the positive proof, they fully 
warrant the belief, that artillery firing always tends 
to bring rain, and is often the actual cause of its 
occurrence. 

But the question will naturally arise, why is not 
every battle followed by rain — why is it that an 
amount of artillery firing that in one case brings 
rain, will sometimes fail to bring it in another? 
This question can be better answered after a further 
consideration of theories as to how cannonading 
produces rain at all ; but it may be remarked here, 
that it is by no means certain that heavy cannon- 
ading does not invariably cause rain somewhere, 
even if it does not at the spot where the firing 
occurs. 

In twelve instances of heavy firing by the naval 
and military forces operating against Charleston, 
that I have investigated, occurring from January 



76 THE ARTIFICIAL 

31 9 to September 5, 1863, ten were followed by rain, 
and each of the others* by an overclouded sky. In 
one of the latter cases the sky became overclouded for 
sixteen hours on the second day after the engage- 
ment, and in the other case for twelve hours on the 
day after; from which facts it may fairly be sur- 
mised that it rained in both cases at some place not 
far distant. 

If it be considered a fact, however, that heavy artil- 
lery firing sometimes fails to produce rain, either at 
the spot where the firing occurs or at any place in 
range of the surface winds, or of air-currents at a 
higher elevation — still, this would not be evidence 
that a way may not be discovered to so conduct the 
firing as to bring rain at all times with unerring cer- 
tainty. It is probably in the manner of the firing, as 
well as in the amount, that we must look for the pecu- 
liar influence that brings the rain. If it be the heat 
alone that the firing evolves that exerts that influ- 
ence, then it would depend principally upon the 
amount; but I do not believe such to be the case. 
Professor Espy, some years since, claimed that he 
could cause rain by means of great fires, and cited 
rains following battles and conflagrations as facts in 
support of his theory. He maintained that all rains 
were caused by an ascending current of air, which 
drew the air to it from all directions, and that the 
condensation of the aqueous vapor was due to the 
cold caused by the expansion of the air as it rose. 
He believed that all that was necessary, in order to 

* Attacks of April 7 and Sept. 5. Log of the New Ironsides. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 77 

bring on a rain, was to build a great lire so as to 
heat the air and cause it to ascend, and that after an 
ascending column was once formed, the fire might 
be allowed to go out, and the upward current would 
still continue. The manner in which the process 
would go on — and, according to his theory, the pro- 
cess is the same in the case of any rain — may be 
thus described: The air, as it rises, expands; by 
its expansion it becomes cold; by its cold a portion 
of its aqueous vapor is condensed into cloud; by 
the latent heat given out in this condensation, the 
air is warmed and made to rise higher, causing; a 
further expansion and a further condensation of 
vapor ; the surrounding air, in the meantime, 
rushes in to take the place of that which is thus 
ascending and passing off, and goes through the 
same process. 

But, though Mr . Espy's theory contains much 
that is true, he failed, as a general thing, to 
convince the philosophers of his day that rain 
is produced by such a process, and in their opin- 
ion the writer concurs. One objection that I have 
to the theory is, that it seems to teach, in sub- 
stance, a contradiction — -that the air becomes cold 
by expansion, and warm at the same time bj^ the 
effect of that expansion, without an equilibrium 
being produced, and with it an immediate stoppage 
of the process. Another is, that it teaches that the 
mixture of air and aqueous vapor contains within 
itself the power to rise, and that the upward cur- 
rent, after being once started, forms what would 



78 THE ARTIFICIAL 

be, with all circumstances favorable, a sort of per- 
petual motion, thus seemingly ignoring the fact that 
it requires as much power to lift up from the earth to 
the region of the clouds any definite amount of 
water, in the form of an invisible vapor, as would 
be required to lift it up in a solid body. Heat is 
the power that raises to the upper regions of the air 
the vapor that forms the rain, and this heat comes 
from the sun; and the rise of the vapor to the requi- 
site height is probably gradual, and fully effected 
before the occurrence of the rain. 

The heat given out by the burning of gunpowder 
in a battle undoubtedly causes an ascent of air, and 
with it of vapor; but this effect must be limited. 
It is manifestly absurd to suppose that the power 
residing in the heat evolved at such a time is suffi- 
cient to lift up from near the earth to the region of 
the clouds the vast quantities of water which, so 
often, afterwards come down. 

I believe that the rain which falls after a battle is 
drawn from vapor which, having previously risen 
by the heat of the sun, exists at the time at a great 
height, either in currents of air flowing from over 
the sea or from the tropics, or in comparatively still 
air containing vapor, some of which has risen from 
the earth below, and some of which has been left 
by air-currents such as those above referred to. 

I have suggested that electricity may be an active 
agent, as well as a result, of the condensation of the 
invisible vapor of the atmosphere into clouds and 
rain. If this conjecture is correct, we can in part 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 79 

understand why cannonading brings rain, by sup- 
posing that one of the primary effects of the can- 
nonading is to develop electricity in the air, or cause 
some peculiar form of electric action. Electricity 
is regarded as one of the forms of force ; and cer- 
tainly, in the discharge of a battery of artillery, an 
immense force is brought into action. Friction is 
one of the means by which force is converted into, 
and made to produce electricity; and if two bat- 
teries of artillery are placed opposite to each other, 
and at a suitable distance apart, and fired simultane- 
ously, can it be doubted that friction will be pro- 
duced by the particles of the air moving over each 
other, and that electricity will be developed? 

It is frequently the case that the first phenomenon 
following a battle is a dense fog. I have given but 
little prominence to this circumstance in the fore- 
going statement of facts; but it would seem 
to show that concussion, by producing electrical 
action, or in some other unknown way, may operate 
directly to cause condensation of aqueous vapor. 
But it is likely that, in the actual accomplishment 
of rain, a more complicated process takes place than 
in the production of fog, and in this process motion 
is probably one of the chief factors. If, as Hutton's 
theory maintains, the condensation of vapor into 
clouds is caused by the mixing of two bodies of air 
of different temperature, motion is requisite to effect 
such a union. Motion is also, in any case, necessary 
for an accumulation of vapor in sufficient quantities 
to make any considerable amount of rain. To pro- 



80 THE ARTIFICIAL 

duce clouds dense enough, the air which supplies 
the vapor must deposit it within a much smaller 
space than itself occupies, which can only be effected 
by such a motion as will bring different portions of 
it in succession to the place where the clouds are 
forming, and carry it off again as fast as each precip- 
itates its vapor. Motion is also necessary to bring 
the watery particles into contact with each other 
so as to collect them into drops of rain. There are 
two ways in which concussion may be supposed to 
communicate this motion; one is by causing a 
chauge in the motion of air-currents already exist- 
ing at a high elevation. The violent effects of 
heavy concussions in other ways are too well 
known to need more than a passing notice. Indeed, 
so terrible have they been in some cases, that at the 
first attack on Fort Fisher, the experiment was tried 
of exploding a ship-load of gunpowder before the 
walls, in the expectation that the shock would so 
paralyze the garrison as to render easy the seizure 
of the fort. Though this expectation was not real- 
ized, the failure was probably owing less to an 
erroneous idea of the principle involved than to the 
manner of its application. The explosion was 
probably made too far from the walls of the fort, 
and it may have been that the powder was, much 
of it, stowed awny in the vessel below the water- 
line, which would cause much of the force of the 
explosion to be in an upward, instead of a lateral 
direction. An instance of the effect of the con- 
cussion of heavy artillery firing was seen at the 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 81 

bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip, in 
the numbers of dead fish* that floated down the 
river ; and it has been noticed that buzzards give a 
wide berth to a region in which there are frequent 
military conflicts,f which they would scarcely do, 
unless the effect of the concussion extended to a 
great distance, and were at times decidedly uncom- 
fortable to them, probably most so when they are on 
the wing. The breaking of windows by a discharge 
of cannon is a not unusual occurrence ; and the 
statement that water-spouts at sea are broken up by 
the same means is one with which all are familiar. 

These considerations, and especially the latter, 
suggest the idea that the effect of artillery firing 
upon a horizontal current, or moving stratum of air, 
may be very great — the greatest effect being directly 
above the place where the firing takes place. Such 
a current, being necessarily in exact equilibrium 
with the air above and below it, would yield to the 
slightest force ; and it may easily be conceived that 
the concussion of a number of cannon, fired simul- 
taneously, would first cause it to sway upward, and 
finally, if the firing were continued, to break up. 
This being accomplished, we should have a condi- 
tion of things which, according to accepted theories, 
might bring rain — we should have two bodies of 
air of different temperatures, and different degrees 
of humidity, becoming mixed together. If the 
current of air were warm and charged with 

*Am. Conflict, Vol. II. p. 89. 
fSee Doc. No. 19. 



82 THE ARTIFICIAL 

vapor, then the drier air above it would be colder 
— this condition being necessary to maintain the 
equilibrium which permitted the existence of such 
a current. If, on the other hand, the current 
of air were colder than that above it, then the latter 
would contain more vapor, and it is possible that it 
might contain enough to produce rain. 

But more favorable conditions may be supposed 
to exist than either of these, to give full effect to 
the action of concussion. Let us suppose two cur- 
rents of air, one above the other, and moving in 
a different direction, and that one is cold and the 
other w^arm and saturated with vapor. The effect 
of heavy concussions would probably be to throw 
them upward over the spot where the firing takes 
place, and finally, with their own motion, to bring 
them together. A spiral motion would result from 
their union ; larger and larger portions of the two 
currents would become involved in the change ; the 
two bodies of air would become mixed; and the 
conditions required by the Huttonian theory of rain 
would be fulfilled. 

The objection might be made to the idea that 
concussion would throw an air-current upward in 
the way I have conjectured, that it would cause a 
rarification of the air below it ; but the difficulty is 
not, I think, a serious one. The gases given out by 
the burning of the powder would help to fill up the 
vacuum which the projection upward of the current 
would tend to create ; the heat given out, by expand- 
ing the air, would further assist in this direction, 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 83 

and the equilibrium might be further restored by 
air thrown oft' from the current itself, or by a slight 
dropping down of the surrounding portions of it 
not greatly affected by the concussion. This, also, 
would explain why the first motion of the barome- 
tric column in a battle is generally, or at least fre- 
quently, a slight rise — as the amount of air above 
the place of the firing would be increased by the 
above process. 

But another, and, perhaps more serious objection, 
would be, that the force of concussion would be so 
diminished at a great height that it could not pro- 
duce such an effect on air-currents as I have conjec- 
tured. On this point it must be admitted that there 
is room for a difference of opinion, and that more 
precise knowledge is needed; but, in addition to 
what has been said in relation to the force of the 
movement which we call concussion, as exhibited in 
other ways, and in particular in its effect upon a 
water-spout at sea, its action upon smoke under 
certain circumstances may also be cited as showing 
that it must have a peculiar effect upon air in motion. 
In this connection I would call attention to what is 
said in the interesting letter of Gen. Mc^Tulta, which 
will be found on another page, in relation to the 
effect of the firing at the inauguration of Governor 
Halm, at New Orleans, upon the smoke issuing from 
the chimneys of the city; a kind of pressure seemed 
to be exerted, very much greater than would be sup- 
posed. 

Another process by which concussion maybe sup- 



84 THE ARTIFICIAL 

posed to give motion to air remains to be considered. 
Returning to my first supposition, that concussion 
lias a direct effect in causing a condensation of 
aqueous vapor, let us suppose that it acts upon air 
at a great height which is comparatively without 
motion at the time. Such air may not unreasonably 
be supposed to contain sufficient vapor to produce 
rain. Professor Espy has shown that when air sat- 
urated with vapor rises, portions of the vapor ought 
to become condensed by the cold of expansion; but 
facts of every-day occurrence show that this is not 
what always takes place. If it were so there would 
be constant rain at the tropics, where there is a great 
evaporation of water ; whereas, instead of the vapor 
falling back as rain, it must, to a great extent, pass 
off northward and southward in the equatorial 
currents. Hence, at a great height there may 
exist large quantities of vapor, and at the same time 
a great degree of cold without the latter of itself 
effecting condensation. Concussion may supply the 
conditions which are wanting; Upon the condensa- 
tion of aqueous vapor into cloud, the latent heat of 
the vapor would be given out, which, warming the 
air in which the condensation takes place, would 
cause it to ascend; the surrounding air would rush 
in to take its place, and a motion of the nature of a 
whirlwind would result, which would be of greater 
or less extent, according to the amount of air acted 
on and the intensity of the action. 

It is known that there is a current of air flowing 
at a high elevation, from the equator towards the 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 85 

poles; and it maybe that in tins, or from vapor 
which it in part supplies, are generated the storms 
which follow battles. If this be a reasonable con- 
jecture, we may suppose that there is an unfailing 
source from which to draw rain at any time, except- 
ing, perhaps, immediately after we have brought on 
a heavy rain — in which case we miff lit be obliged to 
wait until the air which furnished it had passed off 
before we could produce another.* 

The foregoing conjectures as to the manner in 
which artillery firing operates to bring rain, maybe 
summed up as follows: That the effect is due 
principally to concussion, and that the operation of 
concussion is two-fold, producing electrical action, 
and change or communication of motion. The fact 
that we cannot see a spiral motion in the clouds 
does not show that * there is not such a motion in 
the air immediately above the clouds. When they 
commence forming they probably also commence 
falling to a lower and denser stratum of the atmos- 
phere, and this hides from our sight the process that 
is going on. Variable winds and sudden squalls 
frequently follow battles, which may perhaps be 
due to the effect upon the low r er air of a whirling 
motion above. 

Volcanic eruptions and great conflagrations prob- 
ably effect the same results as cannonading, in a 
different way — heat being the agent instead of con- 
cussion. In these cases, the disturbance of the 
upper air is probably occasioned, to a great extent, 

* See remarks in Doc. No, 27 bearing on this subject. 



86 THE ARTIFICIAL 

by the upward motion of heated air — a motion 
which must be far greater than during a battle, 
owing to the greater amount of heat evolved. 

In attempting to explain why artillery firing does 
not always bring rain, I will remark, first, that to 
produce the above described effects in the greatest 
degree, it is probable that a certain arrangement of 
the guns is necessary, and that they should be fired 
simultaneously. The greatest electrical effect would 
probably be produced by arranging the guns in two 
lines, a mile or two apart, and pointing them 
towards each other, with a little elevation. The 
greatest effect in directly communicating motion 
would probably be obtained by arranging them in a 
circle, or massing them, with the muzzles pointing 
towards the zenith. A stud}' of the movements of 
the barometric column during battles, as recorded 
in the log-books of the navy, has led me also to 
conjecture that two spells of firing, a few hours 
apart, will produce a greater effect than would the 
same amount of firing commenced and finished 
without an intermission. 

In a great battle, there is such a diversitv in the 
arrangement of the guns, and such a large amount 
of firing, that it generally happens that all the con- 
ditions necessary to produce rain in very large quan- 
tities are fulfilled. Yet it may be that it is only a 
small portion of the firing that has an actual effect 
in accomplishing this result. It is probable that it is 
only th'3 simultaneous explosions from a number of 
pieces of artillery that have any power in thatdirec- 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 87 

tion, and it may be also that a number of pieces 
fired at the same instant will have but little effect, 
if they are all pointed the same way. If electricity 
is developed in the manner conjectured, it is neces- 
sary that there should be a meeting of opposing 
shocks of concussion and waves of sound. The 
same thing is also necessary in order to produce the 
greatest motion upward when the guns are pointed 
with only a slight elevation, as in battle. It may be 
also that, except in very favorable circumstances, 
and when the first firing is exceedingly sharp and 
concentrated, it is requisite that after a few hours a 
second impulse should be given, by a second spell 
of firing. These considerations, I think, will 
explain why some instances of heavy firing have 
not been followed by rain. The amount of the 
firing may have been more than sufficient, and the 
fault may have been wholly in the manner of it. 

The question, however, as to whether rain can at 
all times be produced, and whether or not it can be 
made to pay, can only be settled by experiments. 
These experiments ought to be conducted near 
arsenals, where there is an ample supply of cannon, 
so that the number and weight of ordnance that 
could be most economically used to produce the 
greatest effect could be determined. In conducting 
the experiments, the first and most obvious arrange- 
ment for the guns would be to place them in two 
lines, some distance apart, the guns in each line 
pointing towards the other. They should be con- 
nected by an insulated wire, and all fired at once by 
means of elect! icitv. 



88 THE ARTIFICIAL 

Another experiment would be to arrange the 
guns in a circle of a mile or two in diameter, point- 
ing their muzzles toward the centre and upward, 
and firing them simultaneously, as before. 

A third experiment would consist in massing the 
guns and firing them simultaneously with their 
muzzles pointed towards the zenith. 

A variation of these different arrangements of 
the guns will suggest themselves, and need not be 
here adverted to. Another important point to be 
determined, as well as the proper number and 
arrangement of the guns, would be the time that 
ought to elapse between the different explosions. 
I am disposed to think that a spell of rapid firing, 
followed in a few hours by another a little heavier, 
would produce the greatest effect with the least 
amount of powder. This idea is suggested from 
noticing that at some of our naval battles it did not 
rain until the second fall of the barometer. The 
movements of the barometric column during bat- 
tles, however, are frequently so irregular — owing 
partly, perhaps, to other causes than the firing — 
that it is difficult, from the recorded observations so 
far made, to fix a definite law for them. I think, 
however, that it will be found that an experiment 
of heavy firing, performed in a state of the weather 
when there are no winds or other disturbing influ- 
ences, and when the barometric column is perfectly 
quiescent, will be followed, immediately, by a slight 
rise of the mercury; that in a few hours the latter 
will have fallen lower than it stood before the firing; 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 89 

that the fall will be succeeded by another rise, and 
that if, while this is taking place, the firing be 
renewed, the rise will be followed by another fall, 
and with it a fall of rain. There are indications in 
the log books of the navy, that the barometer will 
sometimes fluctuate, even if the first spell of firing 
is heavy enough to bring the rain ; and there have- 
been cases where the sky became overcast, then 
cleared off, and then became overcast a second time 
before it rained, and all within a short space of time. 
At the attack on Fort Fisher, where the powder- 
boat " Louisiana" was exploded, there were several 
fluctuations of the barometric column, rain appear- 
ing at its fourth depression, counting from the time 
of the explosion of the boat. The commencement 
of the bombardment was followed by an immediate 
rise of the barometer, though this was not the case 
after the explosion of the boat. On board the 
steamer " Malvern," the barometric height at 1.30 
A.M. was 30.26 in. Sixteen minutes later, the 
officer of the watch saw the flash of the explosion 
and heard the report; he examined his barometer and 
found the height to be 30.24 in. At this height it 
stood until 4 A.M. At 6 A.M. it had fallen 0.06 
inches, the height then being 30.20 in. At 8 A.M. it 
was 30.30 in., and the same at 9. But from 9 to 10 
A.M. it fell 0.19 in., standing at the latter hour 
30.11 in., at which height it remained at 11 A.M. 
At half-past 11 the bombardment of the fort com- 
menced, and at 12 the column had risen 0.21 in. 
standing at this hour 30.32 in. During the second 



90 THE ARTIFICIAL 

depression of the barometer, after this, it rained ; 
the height at the commencement of the rain being 
30.10 inches, from which it fell during the rain two- 
tenths of an inch, rising again to the same height 
before its close. During the second rain — the one 
that took place at noon on the day following the 
second day of the bombardment— the barometer 
stood at 29.84 in. 

That these fluctuations of the barometer were not 
caused by wind, the following considerations will 
show : Commodore Thornton A. Jenkins, late 
Chief of the Bureau of Navigation, Navy Depart- 
ment, in a valuable work written by him, on " the 
Barometer, Thermometer, Hygrometer, and Atmos- 
pheric Appearances at sea and on land/' says, in 
regard to the direction of the wind, as affecting a 
barometer, that the northeast wind tends to raise it 
most, and the southwest wind to lower it most, and 
winds from points of the compass between them 
proportionally as they are nearer one or the other 
extreme point (page 11). Now, when the powder-boat 
exploded, the wind stood W. by S. At 6 A.M. the 
wind was W. N. W., and the barometer, according to 
the above rule, should have risen a little, whereas it 
had fallen. At 9 A.M. the wind was West, and the 
barometer ought, if anything, to have fallen from its 
last height, instead of which it had risen. At 10 A.M. 
the wind was W. S. W., which was nearly what it was 
at the time of the explosion. Again, at 11 A.M. the 
wind was S. W. by W., and at 12 it was S.W. If this 
slight change of the wind had caused any change of 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN 91 

the barometer, it ought to have caused a fall — instead 
of which there was a rise of 0.21 in., the bombardment 
having in the meantime commenced. Again, during 
some of the other shifts of the wind, it was for a 
time from the northeast, in which quarter the barom- 
eter went 0.22 inches lower than it stood when 
the wind was from the S. W., showing the rule again 
reversed as regards the effect of the direction of the 
wind alone upon the height of the barometric col- 
umn. During one of the greatest of these fluctua- 
tions there was no change in the force of the wind. 

The change in the height of the barometer, caused 
by an ordinary naval battle, is not generally very 
great, seldom much exceeding two-tenths of an 
inch. At the bombardment and passage of the 
Vicksburg batteries by Admiral Farragut, on the 
morning of June 28, 1862, the movement was much 
less even than this. The barometer at midnight — 
three hours before the commencement of the engage- 
ment — stood 30.00 in., with no wind; and at noon, 
after the engagement, it had risen to 30.03 in., with 
wind variable and very gentle. After this it com- 
menced to fall, and at 4 o'clock the next morning it 
was 29.98 in., with rain and with w r ind from N. W. 
The rain after this battle appears to have occurred 
during the first depression of the mercury. There 
had been slow firing by the mortar-vessels the day 
before, however, w r ith first a rise of the barometer 
of 0.03 in., and then a fall of 0.04 in.* 

After the naval action off Charleston, Jan. 31, 

* Log of the U. S. Steam Sloop Hartford. 



92 THE ARTIFICIAL 

1863, there was a fall of the barometer of nearly 
half an inch. 

It will not be necessary, in order to procure rain, 
that there should be a cloud in sight when the firing 
is commenced, nor that the wind should blow from 
any particular quarter. To obtain the greatest 
amount of rain, at the place of the cannonading, it 
is probable that a calm state of the air will be most 
favorable; if rain is wanted at some other place, 
however, the direction and force of the wind will 
need to be taken into consideration. 

While the manner of firing will probably be of 
so much importance that an amount, which, in one 
case, will bring rain, will fail to do so in another 
where it is differently conducted; yet upon the 
amount of firing, where the manner is the same, 
will probably depend, in a great measure, the 
amount of rain produced. Great battles are gen- 
erally followed by greater rains than are minor 
engagements; and if the theory which I have 
advanced, as to the effect of concussion upon air- 
currents is correct, this would necessarily follow; 
as the greater and more numerous the concussions, 
the more extensive would be the change of motio:i 
which would be communicated, and the greater, 
within certain limits, would be the volumes of air 
of different temperatures that would be mixed and 
caused to deposit their vapor. 

A question pertinent to the subject is, whether 
we can stop a rain, as well as bring one on. Prob- 
ably most of those who have given thought to the 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 93 

subject would answer in the negative, if the rain 
has been brought on by cannonading; but the rem- 
edy here will be to so regulate our tiring as to bring 
only what rain is needed. Neither is it likely that 
human power can ever exercise any control over 
great storms, such as sometimes sweep over the 
country. The best that can be expected to be done 
with these, is what the signal service, by its system 
of weather telegrams, and its proposed storm sig- 
nals, has undertaken, to give warning of their 
approach. But local rains, extending over a limited 
area of country, may, perhaps, be successfully 
dealt with, especially if it can be determined from 
which quarter come the currents of humid air 
that keep them up. In this connection the follow- 
ing fact may be mentioned, though it may not, per- 
haps, be of much significance. Off Pensacola Light, 
on the morning of April 12, 1861, the weather was 
stormy and ugly up to 4 o'clock, but after the bom- 
bardment of Fort Sumter, at Charleston, com- 
menced, it changed and the storm passed off.* If 
the question should ever be decided by experiments, 
it will, very likely, be found that to put a stop to a 
continued succession of showers, happening in one 
place, it may be necessary to bring one on some- 
where else. 

Judging from the letters which I have received 
since commencing an attempt to bring this sub- 
ject forward, I believe that the country would 
regard with interest some experiments in the matter, 

*Log of the U. S. Frigate Sabine. 



94 THE ARTIFICIAL 

and would not begrudge the expense, even if they 
should prove unsuccessful in leading to a practical 
use of the principle under discussion. In some 
other matters connected with science, the govern- 
ment has justly considered that an expenditure of 
public funds was calculated to be of public benefit; 
but where, if we except in the system of weather 
telegrams and storm signals that it has recently 
undertaken, was there ever so promising a field for 
such action as here. A just and equal regard for 
the interests of different classes of the people also 
requires that, if the production of rain at will and 
at moderate expense is within our reach, it should 
be known, and known, that it should be acted on. 
The system of storm telegraphy is for the benefit of 
commerce; let the interests of agriculture also be 
considered. If it is a legitimate subject for legisla- 
tive expenditure, to provide means for giving warn- 
ing to the merchant and shipper of the approach of 
hurricanes, it is no less so to provide relief for the 
farmer when his fields are parched with drouth, if this 
is practicable. A remark of Prof. Maury, in writing 
on the former subject,* will apply with equal force to 
this; he says: " Hundreds of thousands of dollars 
are lavished upon scientific expeditions for the 
observation of eclipses, for prosecuting geologic 
speculations, the survey of distant lands, and even 
for explorations in Arctic ice in search of the mys- 
terious pole. How insignificant are such objects 
when placed by the side of that now before us! " 

Scribner's Monthly, Feb. and March, 1871. 



PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 95 

I do not propose that the government should 
establish stations through the country, and proceed 
to furnish rain in different sections as it is needed ; 
far from it. What is known of the subject is 
entirely insufficient, as yet, to warrant such a pro- 
cedure. When the power of steam was first dis- 
covered, the world was not ready to build steamships 
and railroads; nor, when the first electric battery 
Avas made, was it ready to lay telegraphic cables 
across the Atlantic. But from small beginnings, 
that promised much less than this, how much 
has the world accomplished ! Yet it has only 
been done through experiments, patient and per- 
sistent ; experiments that, had they been as costly 
as those which are now proposed, would never have 
been made, and man would have remained to this 
day unconscious of half his powers. 

But the proposed experiments, though costly, con- 
sidered as an individual undertaking, would be but 
a trifle to a great nation like ours. We have the 
powder, and we have the guns and the men to serve 
them, and w^e ought not to leave to other nations, or 
to after ages, the task of solving the great question 
as to whether the control of the weather is not, to a 
useful extent, within the reach of man. 

I append some letters from distinguished officers 
and others in regard to the matter under discussion. 
My apology to the writers, for the use so made of 
their favors, is found in the importance which I 
believe the subject to possess, and in the impossi- 
bility of presenting it in its proper light, except by 



96 THE ARTIFICIAL PRODUCTION OF RAIN. 

showing how the phenomena which I have described 
are regarded by some of those who witnessed them. 
As documents in support of what has been advanced, 
they are too valuable to remain hidden from the 
world; and, as they relate wholly to matters con- 
nected with history and natural philosophy, I 
believe there can be no impropriety in making them 
public. 



APPENDIX 



APPENDED DOCUMENTS. 



Doc. No. 1. 
From Brevet Major General Elislia G. Marshall, U. S. A. 

Rochester, N. Y., Dec. 7, 1870. 
Mr. Edward Powers : 

Sir — Yours, of Nov. 28, was received a few days ago. 
In reply, I would state that your article I have seen in many 
of our scientific papers, and was then pleased with your 
views, as often myself and other officers, during the war, 
were well acquainted with the fact that artillery firing, etc., 
caused rain. 

I will give you facts, which I happen to recollect as far 
as Grant's campaigns. 

First Bull Run — One day's fight. Heavy rain next day. 

Second Bull Run — Two days' fighting. Heavy rain day 
after fighting, extending beyond our retreat at Centreville. 

Malvern Hill — Two days' fighting. Yery heavy rain 
next day after battle, extending to our retreat at Harrison's 
Landing. 

First Fredericksburg — Heavy rain after fight. 

Antietam — Heavy rain. 

There was a rain after Chancellorsville, and, as far as I 
can recall, after every battle where much artillery was used 
through all of Grant's campaign. 

Grant's campaign was more of one continuous fight from 
Wilderness to end of war, so that I would not pretend giving 
data. 

The above notes are given you after conferring with 
Brevet Major General C. J. Powers, Vol., Col. 108 N. Y. 
Yols., who happened in at this time. Your theory, in refer- 
ence to this phenomena, I consider correct, and deserves full 
consideration from Congress, and research j and I shall be 



100 APPENDIX. 

glad to assist you in obtaining the hearing of those you wish, 
as far as my humble means go. You will find that every 
officer, almost, of any education or thought, will be apt to 
agree with your views, as this matter was often spoken of 
during the war. 

Is it not the same principle we call to operation when we 
fire artillery over the spot of a drowned person ? 

Cannot the Surgeon General, from his surgeons* meteor- 
ological observations, give you fuller data,* or put you in 
correspondence with his corps, who were present at every 
battle, and they, after careful thought, give you all you 
seek ? You will find the reports of army surgeons reliable. 
Truly, 

E. G, Marshall, U. S. A. 



Doc. No. 2?- 

From General Joshua L. Chamberlain , Governor of the 
State of Maine. 

State of Maine, Executive Department, ) 

Augusta, Dec. 12, 1870. j 

My Dear Sir — My Adjutant General has sent me 
your letter, referring to the effect of heavy firing on the 
atmosphere leading to storms and rain. It is a most inter- 
esting matter. The fact of such sequences (if they may be 
called so, without begging the question,) I have often noticed. 
Certainly a heavy storm of rain occurred after the great bat- 
tles of Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettys- 
burg, the Wilderness, Spottsylvania, Bethesda Church (or 
Coal Harbor), Petersburg, Five Forks, etc.; and often, I 
well remember, in what we called small engagements (though 
they would be called battles in Europe,) such as the fight on 
the " Quaker Road," March 29, 1865, for a late instance, in 
which there was a sharp, concentrated fire of infantry and 
artillery for a couple of hours, a very heavy rain would surely 

* Col. C. H. Crane, Assistant Surgeon General, says, in refer- 
ence to this matter: "Very few meteorological reports were sent 
to this office during the war, and those few came from posts 
distant from the scene of hostilities." 



APPENDIX. 101 

follow. This fact was well noticed, and is well remembered 
by many a poor fellow, who, like myself, has been left lying, 
desperately wounded, after such engagements — for these 
rains are balm to the fever and anguish of the poor body that 
is promoted to the ranks of " casualties." 

I am sure you will find my testimony confirmed by the 
recollections of every soldier. 

Joshua L. Chamberlain, Governor, 
Late Brev. Maj. Gen. commanding 1st Div , 5th Corps. 



Doc. No. 3. 

From General Elliott W. Rice, late of Iowa. 

Office of Elliott W. Rice, Attorney at Law, 1 
1424 F St., Washington, D. C, Nov. 3, 1870. J 

Mr. Edward Powers, Chicago, 111. : 

My Dear Sir — I have your letter of Oct. 22, enclosing 
your letter in the Post, in relation to storms, produced by 
firing of cannon. I remember well that many of our heavy 
battles were followed by rain. At Donelson the weather was 
clear and cool, and exceedingly pleasant; but, soon after the 
engagement, a snow storm was upon us, which was followed 
by rain. Sunday morning of the battle of Shiloh was clear 
and beautiful, almost — yes, entirely — beyond description. 
The day's terrific battle was followed by a drenching rain, 
that all, who were there, must well remember. The same 
thing occurred in the Atlanta campaign, particularly at Dal- 
las ; also, at first Bull Run ; at Gettysburg. In fact, the 
occurrence was so frequent, that there can be but little doubt 
that the rain, in many instances, must have been produced 
by the commotion produced by battle. A Confederate 
Colonel, now in my office, informs me that it was frequently 
remarked, in their army, that great battles were frequently, if 
not generally, followed by storm. I trust you will pursue 
this interesting subject, which may result in a discovery of 
incalculable benefit to the world. I regret that I have not 
time to write to you more fully on the subject. 
Very truly, 

E. W. Rice. 



102 APPENDIX. 

Doc. No. 4. 

From Gen. John McNulta. of Illinois. 

Bloomington, III., Dec. 13, 1870. 
Edw. Powers : 

My Dear Sir — In reply to your favor of the 10th, Dot 
only has it been my experience that rain follows soon after 
every heavy cannon ading, but that this was very generally 
conceded and understood in the army, and acted upon by 
the soldiers in preparing for it after every battle I remem- 
ber, particularly, that in the garrison at Lexington, Mo., 
when water could not be had, it was urged by myself and other 
officers encouraging the men to hold out for a few hours, and 
that the cannonading would bring rain to quench their thirst; 
and it did bring the rain, but found us without the means to 
catch it in sufficient quantities. There are large numbers of 
soldiers in your city who will remember this circumstance, 
and the wringing of their blankets to get water. 

I have often thought of the matter, and am well satisfied 
that the theory you advance, in the printed slip sent me, is 
correct; and, also, that the rain is produced quicker when 
there is no wind (unless it be a wet wind,) than with wind, 
unless there be a range of hills or mountains to the leeward. 

The officers of the Mississippi fleet could, I think, give 
some important facts, from their shelling small squads of the 
enemy on shore, with reference to this matter. The inaugu- 
ration of Gov. Hahn, at New Orleans, was accompanied with 
cannonading, and noise of musical instruments and anvils, 
infantry firing, etc., and was soon followed by very heavy 
rain. When the rebel ram ran by the city, the cannonading, 
only for a few minutes, was followed by rain. The passage 
of the forts at Mobile bay, the bombardment of Fort Gaines, 
afterwards of Fort Morgan ; again of Spanish Fort and 
Blakely; the landing of our troops at Pascagoula, and firing 
a few shots with field pieces on shore ; the battle of Sterling 
Farm, and the fight on the Atchafalaya river were followed, 
in a few hours, with heavy rains. 

I was with the first troops that passed down the river 
(Herron's Division, 13th Army Corps,) after the surrender 
of Vicksburg, to Port Hudson. We found it very muddy 
there (July,) and also at Yazoo City, when taken by our 



APPENDIX. 103 

troops, July 12, 1863. Everybody remembers that there 
was no trouble in keeping moist at Vieksburg. It rained, 
after cannonading, at all the places named; but why I have 
named this region of country is, because it seemed to impress 
me with its peculiar susceptibility, in this respect. I believe 
that in the dryest time, without wind, or a light wind off 
Ponchartrain, the firing of one hundred guns at New Orleans 
will bring on rain in a few hours, and almost certainly in 
large quantity. 

At the inauguration, of which I speak, I obtained, during 
the firing, a seat on a house-top, on Lafayette square, where 
I could look down and see the multitude. It was, literally, 
as dry as a chip, without a cloud to be seen, when the 
ceremonies commenced. (Chimneys presented the appearance 
of miniature volcanoes, spasmodically sending up soot, and 
here and there one with fire and ashes. The escape of the 
compressed air from a chimney, .occasioned by the concussion 
of artillery, is infinitely greater than would be supposed. 
There seems- to be a sort of hydraulic pressure to it.) My 
recollection now is that the artillery practice had not com- 
menced more than an hour when there was a perceptible 
change in the atmosphere — a kind of haziness. That night, 
and the next morning, it rained " fearfully hard." 

What effect would be produced on our prairies, I am 
unable to say \ yet believe the difference could not be great, 
as the aqueous vapors contained in our atmosphere cannot 
be much less than in that near the ocean or large rivers. 
At the battle of Prairie Grove, Ark., the wind blew parallel 
with the mountain range. I suppose there was an average of 
twenty field guns in constant use for five hours. Cloudy at 
dark or a little after, (Dec. 7.) At 2 o'clock, A. M., 8th, 
the atmosphere was remarkably clear, and the stars shone 
with unusual brilliancy. At 3:30, it was "pitch dark." 
Daylight showed a few filmy clouds, with the light wind 
blowing against the mountain range. M. brought rain. 

Soon (several days) after we crossed the Boston Moun- 
tains, we found a light breeze blowing against the mountains 
from the opposite side. We had some artillery firing — say 
thirty or forty rounds — near Lee's creek, early in the morn- 
ing, with a clear sky. Here I remember that it was urged, 
by some of our officers, that artillery should not be used on 
the small number of the enemy's cavalry that were in front 



104 APPENDIX. 

of us, for the reason that it would bring on rain, and thereby 
retard us in the pursuit of the enemy. We got the rain in 
less than two hours. After the firing, at the capture of 
Van Buren, the wind still light, moving nearly at right 
angles with the mountain range, we got rain in a few hours. 

I remember that the rain following the several engage- 
ments on Mobile bay, was more copious than I ever witnessed 
before — the cannonading by the army and navy being 
unusually heavy, especially at the lower forts. This, you 
will remember, was in the summer, or dry season. It is 
possible that I may have known an instance where there was 
heavy firing that was not followed by rain, and that the 
matter may have escaped my notice. There are other 
instances when I know it did occur, but deem it unnecessary 
to cite them, as I have given you the cases that seem most 
important, and which attracted my attention. I am compelled 
to hastily refer to the matter, and have scarcely time to read 
what I have written, and would not have written this much 
but from a desire to encourage you in prosecuting your inves- 
tigations, for I seem to know you are right. 1 hope you 
may succeed in fully demonstrating your theory, and in 
making some practical use of it. 

There are, as you doubtless are aware, animals that 
anticipate a storm — hogs, for instance. If you have an 
opportunity, after the firing of a salute of say thirteen or 
fifteen guns, observe them carefully, and I think you will find 
them acting as they do preceding a storm, although there 
may be no rain. 

Truly, yours, J. McNulta. 



Doc. No. 5. 

From Gen. R. H. Milroy, of Indiana. 

Delphi, Ind., Dec. 19, 1870. 
Mr. Edward Powers : 

Dear Sir — Yours, of the 8th inst., was duly received, 
containing the enclosed printed slip, and asking me to state, 
whether, in my military experience, I had noticed the fact 
"that battles are generally followed by a rainfall." I regret 
that my attention was not called to this matter during the 
war that I might have noticed and made note of such facts, 



APPENDIX. 105 

as I doubt not their existence. The Espy theory of pro- 
ducing nun is the only one I recollect hearing of prior to 
our late war. About the close of the war I heard it mentioned 
that heavy artillery firing produced rain, and in looking back 
over battles in which I participated, or was near, I thought I 
could see strong proof of the theory. The battle of Rich 
Mountain, in July, 1861, was followed by some one or two 
rainy days; Cross Keys, in June, 1862, the same; second 
Bull Ruu, August, 1862, two days' heavy firing, in dry 
weather, followed by refreshing showers ; Gettysburg battle, 
heavy artillery firing for two days, in July. 1863, followed by 
such heavy rains as to raise the Potomac, and stop the retreat 
of the rebel army for some days; battle of Franklin, Tenn., 
about the 1st of December, 1864 — fine weather at the time 
of and previous thereto for many weeks, but was followed by 
rain that froze as it fell, and covered the country with ice ; 
battle of the Cedars, near Murfreesboro, Tenn., in Decem- 
ber, 1864, preceded for some days by artillery firing from 
Fortress Rosecrans, was followed by rains ; the battle of 
Nashville, soon afterwards, was followed by much rain. 

These are all the instances I can now recall of " Heavens 
weeping o'er our battles/' There is more artillery being 
used in the battles now going on in France than was ever 
used in any preceding war on earth, and the newspapers tell 
us that France has been having extraordinary quantities of 
rain and great floods. May not this fact account for our 
pleasant dry fall and winter, so far ? 

There are none of the laws of nature of which science 
is so utterly ignorant as those governing weather, and yet 
there are no laws the knowledge of which would be of more 
benefit to mankind. You are, therefore, engaged in a most 
noble and beneficent inquiry, and I most sincerely wish you 
success, and hope that Congress will grant you all you ask to 
enable you to prosecute your experiments. There is no 
reason why science should not obtain a knowledge of and 
utilize the laws governing weather. 

Begging pardon for my delay in answering your inquiry 
— occasioned by my press of business — and for the hasty 
and unstudied manner of the foregoing answer, 
I am, very respectfully and truly, 
Your most ob't serv't, 

R. H. MlLROY. 



106 APPENDIX. 

A distinguished officer, who takes an adverse 
view of the practicability of producing rain in a 
time of drouth, says: " The difficulty is this: to 
cause rain by concussion of the atmosphere, 3 r ou 
must have the atmosphere charged with aqueous 
matter — a thing beyond your control. Therefore, 
while I believe that when charged with moisture, 
violent and protracted concussion may precipitate 
and hasten the fall of rain, I doubt whether, in the 
absence of a proper hygrometrical condition, (which 
is always the case in times of drouth,) any concus- 
sion would produce rain." 

The theory which I have advanced as to the 
manner in which cannonading produces rain, fully 
meets the above, by showing how the phenomena 
may be supposed to occur without being dependent, 
in the least degree, upon the condition of the air 
near the earth's surface. But to meet the objection 
on its own ground, I remark that the less water 
there is on the earth at any time, the more there 
must be in the air above the earth ; and that the 
existence of drouth, instead of showing an absence 
of vapor, indicates rather an absence of the condi- 
tions favorable to its condensation — conditions 
which concussion may produce. That there is no 
reason to despair of being able to produce rain at 
such a time, from any supposed absence of a suf- 
ficiency of aqueous vapor, is shown from the fol- 
lowing letter from one of the most distinguished 
scientists of the age — a document to which I 
attach a special value, not only for the light which 



APPENDIX. 107 

it throws on the particular point under discussion, 
but for the support it gives to the proposition I have 
made for a series of experiments. 



Doc. No. 6. 
From Prof. Benj. Silliman, of Yale College. 

New Haven, Nov. 19, 1870. 
Ed. Powers, Esq. : 

Dear Sir — In reply to yours of the 11th, received 
to-day, I have to say that it by no means follows that in 
times of drouth the atmosphere does not contain a consider- 
able quantity of water, dissolved as vapor. The capacity of 
the air for moisture increases with the temperature, and, in 
our country, east of the Rocky Mountains, we seldom see a 
state of the air, where it does not contain a large amount of 
moisture. -The amount of moisture requisite for saturation 
of air at different temperatures, is as follows, viz. : 

1 cubic meter of air, at 0° C, holds 5.4 grammes. 
1 " " " " 10° " " 9.74 " 

1 " " " " 25° " " 22.5 " 

In very dry climates the air is often very low in moisture, as at 
the Red Sea, during a simoon, when not over yg-th of satu- 
tion is present. In this latitude, 60 per cent, of the saturation 
is a usual and healthful quantity. The "dew point," of 
course, is the test of saturation. I have seen, in Arizona, 
40° F. difference between the wet bulb and the dry bulb 
thermometer, and there, I believe, no cannonading would 
bring rain out of the air. 

I consider, however, that the matter you have in hand is 
a perfectly fair subject of experiment, and in view of the 
fact that there are times (and we have all seen such,) when a 
good shower would be worth millions of dollars in money, it 
is certainly worth a few thousands spent in noise, at a proper 
time, to determine the question. " Will He bow His heavens 
and come down ?" 

Yours, respectfully, 

B. Silltman. 



108 APPENDIX. 

As a further answer to the objection that has 
been referred to, I would call especial attention to 
the following letter. When, in these United States, 
is there ever such an " absence of a proper hygro- 
metrical condition/' as in Mexico, in the very midst 
of the dry season ? 



Doc. No. 7, 

From Brevet Major General Henry W. Benham, U. S. 

Engineers. 

Boston, Mass., Nov. 15, 1870. 
Mr. Edward Powers. Chicago, 111. : 

Dear Sir — I have been greatly hurried, during the past 
few weeks, so that I have not had time to reply, as I _ would 
desire to, on the subject of your inquiry, as to rny opinions or 
experiences in the matter of the effect of cannon firing to 
cause rain at any or all states of the atmosphere. 

I would say to you now, however, very briefly, that I have 
a most decided conviction on this subject — as I have had 
for many years, — and that is, that the firing of cannon, to 
any great extent, will always, or almost always, cause rain. 
Independent of several cases in the last war of the rebellion, 
where rain accompanied or followed the battles in quick suc- 
cession, I will only now refer particularly to one case, which, 
I doubt not, the recollections of many men in your vicinity 
who were members of Hardin's or BisselFs regiments, at the 
battle of Buena Yista, Feb. 23, 1817, will corroborate This 
is the fact : that about one or two hours after the severe 
cannonading between 8 and 10 A. M. — that is, between 11 
and 12 o'clock — we had a most violent rain-fall for some ten 
or fifteen minutes. I recollect holding my body forward over 
my holsters, and bringing up my frock coat skirts to keep my 
holsters and pistols dry. Again, in the afternoon, at about 
the same interval, after the last fatal charge, when Colonels 
Yell, Hardin, McKee, and Lieut. Col. Clay fell, — when there 
was a heavy cannonading a second time, — another violent 



APPENDIX. 109 

shower of rain fell, wetting us all again. And what I con- 
sidered the satisfactory proof that this was caused by the 
shocks to the atmosphere produced by the cannon fire, is the 
fact that no rain had fallen in that vicinity for many months 
previously — I was told six or eight months, — and none fell, 
as I know was the case, for three or four months after that 
battle, as I continued at that position. 

Trusting this may be of some use as an item towards 
substantiating your views, which, I do not doubt, can be 
utilized, as you proposed, 

I am, very truly, yours, 

H. W. Benham. 



If further proof were necessary, that rain can be 
produced by cannonading, in a time of drouth, it is 
furnished in the following, taken in connection with 
what is said in Greeley's History of the American 
Conflict, Vol. II. page 218, in relation to the weather 
preceding the battle of Perryville, or Chaplin's 
Creek. 



Doc. No. 8. 
From General Geo. W. Smith, of Illinois. 

Law Office of Geo. W. Smith. 1 

No. 86 Washington St., Chicago, Feb. 21, 1871. J 
Mr. Edward Powers : 

Dear Sir — I have your letter of yesterday. ' In reply, 
I was present at Perryville, Stone River, Chicamauga, Mis- 
sion Ridge, the various engagements between Chattanooga 
nnd Atlanta, Franklin and Nashville. 

1 remember that rain followed most of the above named 
battles, and particularly Perryville, Stone River and Nash- 
ville. Chicamauga was succeeded by a dense fog. 
Yours, truly, 

Geo. W. Smith. 



110 APPENDIX. 

Doc. No. 9. 

From General Wm. Vandever, of Iowa. 

Dubuque, Oct. 15, 1870. 
Ed. Powers, Chicago, 111. : 

Dear Sir — Your favor, of the 13th inst., with enclosed 
newspaper article received, and read with interest. 

I do not think that I can give any particular information 
to guide you in your investigations. My observation, how- 
ever, during the war, satisfies me that your theory is correct. 
Great battles were generally followed by storms of rain. 
This peculiarity was often the subject of comment in the 
army. 

If, from such facts, you can suggest any feasible mode of 
bombarding the clouds and bringing down rain, the country 
will be indebted to you. 

Very truly, yours, 

Wm. Vandever. 



Doc. No. 10. 

Extract from a Letter from the Adjutant General of the 
State of Ohio, dated Columbus, Oct. 17, 1870. 

* * * * Your theory has always been a pet 
" hobby " of my own, and my observation, during the late 
war, led me to believe in its correctness. I have always 
noticed that heavy firing was followed by copious showers, 
with an uniformity which satisfied me that it was not mere 
coincidence. The best way to decide the matter, however, 
would be to institute a series of experiments during dry 
weather, when the barometrical signs indicated a continuance 
of drought. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Wm. A. Knapp, Adjutant General. 



APPENDIX. Ill 



Doc. No. 11. 



Extract from a Letter from the Adjutant General of 
Wisconsin^ dated at Madison, Oct. 26, 1870. 

* * * I had occasion to notice myself that our battles 
were generally followed by rain during the war. 

At Cedar Mountain, August 9, 1862, the battle was fol- 
lowed by a slight rain. The weather was, at the time, 
intensely hot, and the engagement was short, and but little 
artillery used. At the second battle of Bull Run, August 
27 and 28, 1862, the rain poured in torrents. The closing 
engagement of that series of battles, that of Chantilly, was 
stopped by a drenching shower. At Chancellorsville, May 
3, 1863, we had torrents of rain in about forty-eight hours 
after the cannonading was over. At Beverly Ford, June 9, 
1863, we brought on rain by a sharp musketry and artillery 
fire, lasting half a day. At Gettysburg, where some three 
hundred cannon pounded from 12 till 4 o'clock, and mus- 
ketry incessantly for three days, we had a night and day of 
pouring rain, setting in about six hours after the firing had 
ceased. Yours, respectfully, 

E. E. Bryant, Adft General. 



Doc. No. 12. 

The foregoing letter fixes, approximately, the 
time of the commencement of the rain at the 
battle-field, after the battle of Gettysburg. The 
following extract from a letter from Colonel John 
Gibbon, 7th Infantry, U. S. A., speaks of the same 
rain as it occurred at a point some thirty miles 
southeastward. 

"Immediately after the battle of Chancellorsville, there 
was a terrific rain storm, May 5, 1863. This was also the 
case after the battle- of Gettysburg, the rain commencing 



112 APPENDIX. 

to fall about twenty-four hours after the heavy cannonading 
of the 3rd of July; and at Westminster, about thirty miles 
from the battle-field, continued to rain heavily all night/' 



Doc. No. 13. 

Mr. Abbott Mott, of the Engineer Department, 
IT. S. A., in a communication to an officer, says of 
the commencement of the rain at Fredericksburg : 

lC At the battle of Fredericksburg, I was on the skirmish 
line the night of the retreat, and, consequently, was among 
the last to cross the Rappahannock on said retreat. I dis- 
tinctly remember a very heavy rainstorm commenced while 
we were crossing on the pontoon bridge. This battle was 
notable for the amount and weight of ordnance used/' 



Doc. No 14. 

From General J. A. Garfield, of Ohio. 

Hiram, 0., Oct. 28, 1870. 
Edw. Powers, Chicago, 111. : 

Dear Sir — In answer to yours of the 22nd, I have to 
say that, while I did not take such observations as a scientific 
experiment requires, I did observe the frequent occurrence 
of heavy showers very soon after the battles in oar late war. 
It was a matter much talked of in the army, and there was 
a general impression that the atmospheric disturbance, 
caused by heavy cannonading, hastened or created showers. 
I remember that heavy showers followed almost immediately 
after the battles of Shiloh, Stone River, Shelby ville, and 
Chicamauga. But, while these coincidences are curious and 
interesting, they are chiefly valuable from the fact that they 
challenge the attention of scientific men, and may lead to a 
discovery of causes which will prove valuable to our knowl- 
edge of meteorology. 

Very truly, yours, 

J. A. Garfield. 



APPENDIX. 113 

Doc. No. 15. 

From Gen. J. M. Hedrieks, of Iowa. 

Courier Office, Ottumwa, Oct. 28, 1870. 
Mr. Edward Powers, Chicago, 111. : 

My opinion fully concurs with the theory of your article. 
I have, however, never taken time to investigate the 
phenomena sufficiently to give you an intelligent theory on 
the subject at present. 

It is a highly interesting and important matter, and should 
be investigated. 

In great haste, your ob't servant, 

J. M. Hedricks. 



Doc. No. 16. 

From Gen. Jas. Barnetf, of Ohio, late Chief of Artillery, 
Dept. of the Cumberland. 

Cleveland, 0., Oct. 28, 1870. 
Edward Powers. Esq.: 

Dear Sir — I am in receipt of your favor of 22nd inst., 
enclosing your article from the Evening Post. It was a 
remarkable fact, which I think most of our army officers will 
recollect, that many of our battles were accompanied with 
rain, or rain immediately followed. Such was the fact at 
Pittsburg Landing and Stone River, and I think at other 
general engagements in our department. Chicamauga and 
.Mission Ridge may have been exceptions, but of this I am 
not sure. Our advance from Murfreesboro, in which a good 
deal of artillery firing was done, was accompanied by rain all 
the way. I desire to talk with some of my army friends, 
who assemble here on the 24th ult.. and will take pleasure in 
writing you further on the subject after we compare notes. 

Yours, 

J. Barnett 



The following letter from a distinguished citizen 
and late officer of volunteers will show T what was 



114 APPENDIX. 

the character of the weather in the Shenandoah 
Valley in the months of August and September, 
1864 ; the document which follows it will show the 
apparent effect of the artillery skirmishing to which 
he refers, in tending to produce a change. A com- 
parison of the two will also show that, in regard to 
the question of rain or no rain in that section after 
the battles of Winchester (Opequan Creek) and 
Fisher's Hill, fought September 19 and 22, it is 
unsafe, in speaking from memory, to affirm a nega- 
tive. If there was rain, however, it was probably 
light, or the assertion that there was none would not 
be made with so much confidence. Rain followed 
both of these battles in the southeastern part of the 
same State, as before stated; though possibly there 
may have been no connection between the battles 
and the rains referred to. 

Doc. No. 17. 

Oct 31, 1870. 
Dear Sir — Your favor, with slip enclosed as to rain 
following battles, is at hand. There was a notion of the sort 
often mentioned in the army I belonged to. Off hand I 
have no opinion about it. Rain followed within twenty-four 
hours in the following cases: 

Carnifax Ferry, Sept. 10, 1861. 
Dublin Bridge, May 10, 1864. 
Winchester, July 24, 1864. 
No rain after : 

South Mountain, Sept. 14, 1862. 
Lynchburg. June 20. 1864. 
Winchester, Sept. 19. 1864. 
Fisher's Hill, Sept. 22, 1864. 
Other battles I dont recollect about. 
On hearing of the attempt to investigate this subject by 



APPENDIX. 115 

you, the most conspicuous fact occurring to me was against 
the theory suggested. 

In August and September, 1864, the Shenandoah Valley 
was the scene of unending warfare — daily battles — cannon 
firing from daylight to dark, and with it an unusual drouth. 
In September, 1870, no cannon-firing, and an unprecedented 
flood. 

But my memory supplies too few facts to warrant an 
opinion. 

Sincerely, 

^r <^ *i* *f* *J^ 5jC 



Doc. No. 18. 

Extracts from the Diary of Lt. W. Ashley, of Vaughn s 
Brigade, Co. C Battalion, Thomas' Legion, Wharton's 
Division, Breckenridge s Corps, Gen. Early s Army ; who 
was killed at the Battle of Opequan Creek, near Winches- 
ter, Va., September 19, 1864.* 

Newmarket, Va., Saturday, July 1, 1864. Daylight. 
Start through Edinburgh, * * * hot * * * . 

July 2. Strasburg. Straggled and got a good dinner; 
encamped near Middletown. 

July 3. Start through Newtown * * * . 

July 4. Start to Martinsburg. Yanks had left in a 
hurry. Lots of plunder, * * * still hot and dusty. 

July 5. Clear. * * * Marched to Potomac River, 
near Shepherdstown ; waded it. * * * 

July 6. Clear; still no rain. * * * Made foot of 
Maryland Heights about 11 P.M. 

July 7. Cannonading all night; daylight start; we are 
now in position as reserve. Sharp fighting going on imme- 
diately in front ; shells coming unpleasantly near every once 
in a while ; passed over a man's foot in our road just now 
taken off by a cannon ball , suppose we are about one mile 
from their works. Harper's Ferry ; dark ; moved out over 
mountain to Rollersville by 2 A.M. ; rain, rough and very 
dark. 

* See Putnam's "Record of the Rebellion," Vol. XI. p. 153. 



116 APPENDIX. 

July 8. Clear. * * * Awful rain during the night; 
all and everything wet through. * * * * 

(The diary shows no more rain until after the battle of 
Winchester, fought July 24, 1864.) 

July 24. Clear ; army in motion * * * * heavy 
shells and bullets coming thick among us * * * * 
drove the Yanks under a hot fire several miles through Win- 
chester. * * * 

July 25. Rain; all wet through and cold. * * * 

August 17. Clear at daylight; ordered into front * * * 
ordered to charge the enemy ; did so, under a heavy fire 
of artillery and small arms. * * * The fight was con- 
tinued until 11 P.M. * * * 

August 18. Rain. * * * 

August 19. Hazy. * * * Skirmishing near Berry- 
ville. * * * 

August 20. Rain. * * * 

September 3. Cloudy. * * * Heavy artillery and 
musketry in direction of Berry ville ; rain ; still fighting far 
away into the night. 

September 4. Cloudy. Started to scene of last night's 
action * * * sharpshooters already engaged. 3 P.M. 
Flanked to left, and lay until night, endeavoring to draw 
them out to fight. They won't leave their intrenchments ; 
bullets are whistling around us close. * * * Rain, cold 
and disagreeable. 

September 5. Rain. Skirmishing heavy * * * 
heard firing in our front. * * * Rain falling heavy. * * * 

September 6. Rain all day. . •'* * * 

September 9. Clear, cold night * * smart skirmish- 
in°\ * * * 

September 10. Rain. * * * 

September 12. Rain. * * * 

September 13. Clear; fighting on our left; * * 
fighting is winding to our right; * * * it is very heavy. 
2 P.M. Cannonading heavy on our right. 

September 14. Rain. * * * 

September 15. Cloudy. * * 

September 16. Rain. * * * 

The facts in regard to the weather, set forth in 
the above document, must render the " conspicuous 



APPENDIX. 117 

fact " noticed in the preceding document (I say it 
with all respect towards my correspondent) less con- 
spicuous than, at first sight, it might appear. 



Doc. No. 19. 
From Major General S. P. Heintzelman, U. S. A, 

New York, Nov. 6, 1870. 
Edward Powers, Esq., Civil Engineer, Chicago : 

My Dear Sir — Your letter of the 6th of October, with 
its enclosure, I have received, and gladly contribute my 
mite towards the establishment of your theory. 

I have been keeping a journal all my life, mostly a 
mere record of fact?, and, as a general thing, I mention 
the weather. The enclosed notes have been carefully ex- 
extracted from this journal. I find that I have recorded, 
almost daily, the weather, and whether there was firing, 
from the first Bull Run, July 21, 1861, to September, 1862, 
when I was placed in command of the defences of the south 
side of the' Potomac. 

I have the impression that rain can be produced by the 
concussion of the atmosphere ; and the only question in my 
mind has been, will it pay ? It will depend upon the area 
of country that ca*n be affected. Cannot some cheaper 
material be employed to produce the concussion than gun- 
powder ? 

A curious fact was brought to my mind the day after I 
received your letter. In conversation with a gentleman who 
moved on the Southern side, he inquired whether I had ever 
observed that, during the war in Virginia, there were no 
turkey buzzards in the vicinity of the armies. I recollect 
the fact, and attribute it to the great extent of atmosphere 
affected by the concussion of artillery firing, thus driving 
those timid birds away. This would go to show that the 
atmosphere is affected to a sufficient extent to make it prac- 
tical, or that it will pay. 

These observations have a greater value, as when they 
were recorded, I had no theory to sustain. 
I am, sir, yours, truly, 

S. P. Heintzelman. 



118 APPENDIX. 



Doc. No. 20. 



Notes from Journal kept by S. P. Heintzelman, commanding 
Third Army Corps, from July, 1861, to September, 1862. 

July 21, 1861. This was a clear, hot day — the first 
battle of Bull Run. I reached my door, in Washington, 
the next morning, at 6J A. M. <: It commenced to rain a 
little before we got in." 

Camp Winfield Scott, Yorktown, Va., Saturday, May 3, 
1862. " Threatened rain this morning, but turned clear and 
pleasant." * * * " Some five hundred shots and shell 
were fired, yesterday, by the rebels. Not much firing to-day." 
* * " The rebels were very busy, till after midnight, 
firing " (artillery). 

Sunday, May 4, 1862. * * " This is a beautiful 
morning." Rain commenced Sunday night. " It com- 
menced raining in the night." 

The battle of Williamsburg was fought Monday, May 5, 
1862. It rained all day and into the night.* My impression 
is that it was clear the day after the battle. 

Williamsburg, May 8 (Thursday), 1862. "A beautiful 
day." Wednesday was Franklin's affair at West Point. 

Savage's Station, Saturday, May 31, 1862. " We had a 
very heavy thunder storm late in the afternoon yesterday,")" 
and till in the night. It rained in torrents." * * It has 
been cloudy all day. 

Savage's Station, June 1, 1862. "The clouds broke 
away early in the day, and it was warm." 

Savage's Station, June 2, 1862. " Before daylight I got 
another dispatch from Marcy, to sustain Sumner with all my 

* The rain that attended the battle of Williamsburg, was, 
probably, brought on by a sharp cannonade that took place in the 
afternoon of the day before. (See page 26 ) The reason why 
there was no rain the day after the battle is easily understood by 
supposing that the aqueous vapor within reach was, by that time, 
exhausted. 

j- This rain may have been caused by the battle of Hanover Court 
House, fought on the 27th, and the length of time that had elapsed 
between the battle and the rain, may have been owing to the fact 
that there had been a previous rain. See letter of G-en. Hagner, 
on page 130, in which notice is taken of the length of time which 
sometimes elapses between a second spell of firing and a second 
rain, 



APPENDIX. 119 

force. As I had already made arrangements for any contin- 
gency, I did not get up till it got light. It was then raining* 
a little. I dressed, and when the sun rose we had a rainbow. 
I think we will have a pleasant day/' 

Savage's Station, Tuesday, June 3, 1862. " Heavy rain 
and thunder storm last night. This morning has been hot. 
Mercury, at one time, in my tent, 94°." * * " All the 
wounded of my troops, and the prisoners, were sent off in the 
last train at 9 P. M. It commenced to rain pretty steadily 
before." 

Savage's Station, Wednesday, June 4, 1862. "It rained 
more heavily last night and this morning, till about 9 A. M., 
than I have known for years. The whole country is flooded, 
both in the front and on the left. No enemy can move, even 
should he try, which I don't think he intends on this flank, 
after his defeat." 

Savage's Station, Thursday, June 5, 1862. " It has 
been cloudy, and threatening rain with a few drops to-day " 

Savage's Station, Friday, June 6, 1862. " It has been 
cloudy, and drizzled several times during the day. The 
weather is disagreeable enough." 

Savage's Station, Saturday, June 7, 1862. " Cloudy this 
morning, but sun came out. In afternoon, a thunder storm, 
and now clearing off." 

Savage's Station, Sunday, June 8, 1862. " This has been 
a pleasant day." 

Savage's Station, Monday, June 9, 1862. " Quite cool, 
but pleasant, drying winds." 

Savage's Station, June 10, 1862. " Rainf most of the 
night and this morning. Now a mist " * * " from top 
of a tree got a sketch. Two rebel fla^s were seen on a large 
building in Richmond, from this tree." 

Savage's Station, Wednesday, June 11, 1862. " Cold last 
night. Rain ceased in the night, and pleasant to-day. High 
winds drying the roads rapidly." 

* The rains of June 2, 3 and 4, followed the battle of Fair Oak 
or Seven Pines, fought May 31 and June 1, 1862. The heaviest 
of these rains, it will be noticed, fell on the night of June 3, and 
morning of June 4. 

f Fremont's battles of Cross Keys and Port Republic, in Vir- 
ginia, were fought June 8 and 9, 1862, 



120 APPENDIX. 

Savage's Station, Saturday, June 14, 1862. "A beautiful 
morning." 

Savage's Station, Sunday, June 15. * * " We have 
some thunder and lightning, with rain, and the air cooled 
greatly From 93° to 66°. The enemy have been firing at 
our pickets, and we have lost some men, both in front of 
Hookor and Kearney." 

Savage's Station, Monday, June 16, 1862. " Cool, but 
pleasant morning. Mercury, 57°. A great change since 
yesterday. We have had considerable skirmishing yesterday 
and to-day." 

Savage's Station, Tuesday, June 17, 1862. " Cool night 
and all day. Mercury very little above 70°, and cool wind. 

* * The gunboats were firing near two hours to-day." 
Savage's Station, Wednesday, June 18, 1862. " Cool last 

night and this morning, but getting warm again. * * 
About sundown there was some picket firing in front of Sum- 
ner, with rapid artillery firing. It lasted only a few min utes. 

* * Since dark, a heavy wind and rain." 

Savage's Station, Thursday, June 19, 1862. " The rain, 
last evening, did not last long. This morning the roads are 
dusty. * * Cool morning, but warm day." 

Savage's Station, June 21, 1862. "Warm and dusty 
to-day. It was unusually quiet all day, till late in the after- 
noon, when, suddenly, a brisk fire of musketry rang along 
Hooker's front, followed by artillery." 

Savage's Station, June 22, 1862. * * " There was 
picket firing, at intervals, most of the night. At ten minutes 
before 3 A.M., several volleys were fired in rapid succession, 

* * but it only lasted a few minutes. * * We have 
had a few drops of rain since dark. * * Mercury has 
been 93° to-day, and little wind." 

Savage's Station, Monday, June 23, 1862. " Quite warm 
till afternoon, and then showers of rain with a little thun- 
der. * * All has been very quiet since yesterday morn- 
ing. What can all this mean ? * * It is quite cool since 
the rain, with some rain and lightning, and may rain more." 

Savage's Station, Tuesday, June 24, 1862. * * " We 
had a very heavy rain storm, and thunder and wind, at mid- 
night. The telegraph wires are down. * * At dawn, 
heavy musketry commenced, and soon followed by artillery. 
I thought it the attack, and had all up, but it did not last but 



APPENDIX. 121 

a few minutes. We afterward heard the rebels beat reveille* 
Had another heavy rain a little before night ; has eooled the 
air much. ,, 

Savage's Station, Wednesday, June 25, 1862. "The 
rain made the morning and day pleasant." 

[Note. — This is the affair of the "Orchards/' in which 
my command lost some five hundred men, and pushed forward 
our pickets — the object of our attack] 

Savage's Station, Thursday, June 26, 1862. " For sev- 
eral hours this afternoon, heavy artillery firing has been going 
on, on our right. * * The firing is very steady and con- 
tinuous, although it is getting dark. There must be quite a 
battle.'' [Note. — This was the battle of Mechanics ville] 

Savage's Station, Friday, June 27, 1862, 5* P. M. " The 
battle still continues on the right." [Note. — This was the 
battle of " Gaines' Mills."] 

Savage's Station, Saturday, June 28, 1862. " At 3 A. M., 
a heavy picket firing commenced, then joined in with artil- 
lery. * * There was., occasionally, artillery and some 
musketry firing during the forenoon. The enemy made a 
very determined attack on General Smith, and got into one 
of his redoubts. His infantry drove them out, etc., etc. 
* * I feared, this morning, it would rain." " In the 
night of the 28th, got an order to fall back to the lines I 
held May 31. * * * It was foggy." [Note. — On the 
29th the battle of Savage's Station was fought.] 

Junction Charles Citv and Quaker Roads. Monday. June 
30, 1862. [Note.— Battle of Glendale fought.] 

Thursday, July 2, 1862. * * "It commenced raining 
soon after light." [Note. — This was at Malvern Hill — the 
day after the battle.] * * "It was now about 6 A M., 
and raining hard." 

Berkley's Farm, Thursday, July 2, 1862. " It rained 
hard in the night, and it is doubtful whether it will clear off 
now. * * At half past 10 A. M., the rebels commenced 
throwing shells into our camp, etc. * * It has not rained 
since morning, but it is not clear yet." 

Near Berkley's Farm, Friday, July 4, 1862. " Clear sun- 
shine. The roads and ground are drying rapidly. 

Harrison's Bar, Tuesday, July 15, 1862. * * " Mercury 
was 96° to-day, but at dark a heavy thunder storm, and now 



122 APPENDIX. 

down to 74°. * * There has oeen some gunboat firing 
down the river." 

Harrison's Bar, Wednesday, July 16, 1862. " Mercury, 
90°. In the evening, a heavy thunder shower." 

Junction of Warrenton and Alexandria and Orange 
Railroads, Tuesday, Aug. 26, 1862. " The weather, the last 
few days, has not been very hot, but quite dusty." 

Warrenton Junction, Wednesday, August 27, 1862. 
" There was some artillery firing in the night, and again 
this morning." 

Manassas Junction, Thursday, August 28, 1862. " Some 
artillery firing on our left, at 8 A. M." [Note. — On the 
27th was the affair at Bristow Station.] * * " We had 
quite a heavy shower as we passed Manassas Junction, but it 
only extended a short distance." [Note.— On the 27th, in 
the evening, about 9 P. M., we had a little rain. The ride 
from Warrenton Junction to Bristow Station, on the 27th, 
was very warm and dusty.] 

Bull Run battlefield, near the Henry House, Friday, 
Aug. 29, 1862. " At 10 o'clock A. M., reached the field a 
mile beyond the stone bridge. Firing had commenced 
again." [Note. — This is the first day of the second Bull 
Run.] 

Saturday, Aug. 30, 1862. [Note. — This is the second 
day of second Bull Run.] 

Centreville, Va., Sunday, Aug. 31, 1862. At daylight 
it commenced raining. * * The rain did not last very 
long, but it is still cloudy. * * There was some firing 
this morning, but not much." 

Fairfax C. H., Va., Tuesday, Sept. 2, 1862. On the 
day before, between Centreville and Fairfax C. H., " Heavy 
thunder and rain storm, at 6 P. M. * * After the rain, 
rode on a mile or so, and stopped opposite Kearney's left 
flank." [Note. — This was near Chantilly.] 

Arlington, Md., Sept. 10, 1862. " There has been a 
heavy wind storm, but scarcely rain enough to lay the dust. 
Next day, rain showers all the forenoon." 

S. P. Heintzelman. 

* The memoranda furnished concerning the time the army lay 
at Harrison's Bar, are, for the most part omitted, not being of 
special significance. 



APPENDIX. 123 

Doc. No. 21. 

From Gen. John C. Starkweather, of Wisconsin. 

Sunny Side Farm, Oconomonee, Nov. 8, 1870. 
Edward Powers, Esq. : 

Dear Sir — My house and its contents having just been 
destroyed by fire, prevents me (as to time) answering your 
favor in detail. I can therefore only say, in general terms, 
that I agree with you fully. 

Yours truly, 

John C. Starkweather. 



Doc. No. 22. 

From General Rob't A. McCoy ^ of Pennsylvania. 

Surveyor General's Office, Harrisburg, Nov. 14, 1870. 

Edward Powers, Esq., Civil Engineer, P.O. Box No. 45, 
Chicago, 111. : 

Dear Sir — Your favor relating to the subject of artillery 
fire producing rain, and requesting statement of my recollec- 
tion as to rains following the principal battles of the late 
war, has been received. My time being very fully occupied 
by official duties, leaves me but little opportunity to make 
you a satisfactory reply, and the fact that I have not my 
memoranda book within consulting distance, compels me to 
write from memory. 

The whole scope of my service in the army was in Eastern 
Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania, with the army of the 
Potomac, and at no time exceeding 200 miles inland from 
the Chesapeake or Delaware bays. 

This fact should be taken into consideration when consider- 
ing the effects of our battles on the atmosphere or currents 
of air. My recollection is, that after the battle of Antietam 
— one in which much artillery was used — it rained the 
following day, the 18th September, 1862; that rain fell in 
considerable quantity on Tuesday after the Saturday of battle 
of Fredericksburg, V a., in December, 1862 — think some 
rain fell before Tuesday. A very large number of cannon 
were in position on the Stafford heights and the Fredericks- 
burg and Mayre's heights ; the valley between was densely 



124 APPENDIX. 

filled with smoke from the discharge of cannon, small arms, 
and the burning of the town. The sight was grand. The 
sun appeared to toil through the density of smoke. 

It rained on the third day, I think, of the Chancellorsville 
battle, May 3, 1863. 

Very heavy rain fell after the battle of Gettysburg; in 
fact the night of the last day of the battle your correspondent 
was soaked with rain whilst examining and arranging out- 
posts. 

My recollection does not serve me as to the three days of 
the Wilderness battle, but in the execution of my duties I 
got very wet one day near the close of the battle of Spott- 
sylvania C. H., 1864. 

I omitted to mention that it rained very hard immediately 
after the second battle of Bull Run, August 31, 1862. 

I am not prepared to go into any scientific argument for or 
against the theory, but believe that the concussions — jarring 
of the atmosphere by the sound, as well as disturbance of it 
by the smoke of battle, produced rain. 

I am inclined to the opinion, that the smoke is not without 
its eifect in producing rain, for I remember to have observed 
when a boy, living in the interior of this State, that in the 
early fall, the farmers who had cleared new lands usually 
burned the brush and log heaps about one time, causing 
dense smoke through the valley, and remember that rain 
usually followed ; also after the burning over of mountain 
lands. 

But, as I have before remarked, that all my experience 
and observation have been confined to a narrow limit not far 
from the sea, where greater moisture exists in the atmosphere 
than further inland, perhaps that fact might have had 
much to do with the frequent rains apparently caused by 
firing and by smoke. If concussion, or jarring the air, is 
the moving power, then the firing should be directly up in 
the air, or rather by batteries placed at say one or two miles 
apart, and fired into the air at a proper angle and towards 
each other. 

Begging your pardon for inflicting upon you so crude a 
letter, I have the honor to be, 

Very truly, yours, 

Kob't A McCoy, 
Late Ass't Adj't Gerfl 3rd Div. 5th Army Corps, Army of Potomac. 



APPENDIX. 125 

Doc. No. 23. 

From General J. M. Campbell, of Pennsylvania, 

Johnstown, Pa., Nov. 10, 1870. 
Ed. Powers, Esq. : 

Dear Sir — Your favor, of the 7th inst., with enclosed 
slip, I find awaiting me on my return home. 

At present I can remember but two battles during our 
late war, which were closely followed by rain. The first, 
after the battle of New Market, Va., on the 15th of May, 
1864, the other after the battle of Winchester (Crooks , 
Ya., July 24, 1861. There were, doubtless, others, but I 
cannot recall them with distinctness. I have heard the idea 
you advance frequently discussed since the war, and believe 
there is u something in it." 

Very respectfully, yours, 

J, M. Campbell, 



Doc. No. 24. 
From General E. L. Dana, of Pennsylvania. 

WlLKESBARRE, NOV. 21, 1870. 

Edward Powers, Esq, C. E.: 

My Dear Sir — Since the receipt of your favor of the 
7th inst., I have been engaged in holding court, with no 
leisure, until this evening, for a reply. 

I showed your article to several military gentlemen of this 
town, who concur, in their recollection, that nearly every 
great battle, of the late war, was either attended, before its 
close, or immediately followed, by a heavy fall of rain ; gen- 
erally with much electric action. The occurrence was the 
subject of remark. I think on the third day after the 
commencement of the Chancellorsville movement, and in the 
midst of a rapid cannonade, there came on a fearful thunder- 
storm, and, for a time, we were at a loss, in the thick woods, 
to distinguish the " artillery of heaven " from that of earth. 

At Gettysburg, on the 4th of July, the day following the 
decisive conflict of the 3rd, characterized by the heaviest 
cannonade of the war. there was a severe storm, a large 
quantity of water falling. There was a slight fall of rain 



126 APPENDIX. 

during the battle of the 1st of July, at Gettysburg, and in 
the evening. 

In one of the operations before Petersburg, I think in 
October, 1864, which was there called the Squirrel Level 
Road, a heavy rain followed immediately after the action. 
The same coincidence occurred in the two actions at Hatch- 
er's Run. 

The rain, which fell at Chancellorsville, August, 1863, to 
which I have referred, you may recollect, was such as to 
raise the river and threaten our pontoon bridges, and, prob- 
ably, hastened our re-crossing the river. 

These meagre reminiscences touching the question, sug- 
gested in your letter, with those of General Osborue, to whom 
I showed your article, are all that I am able to recall dis- 
tinctly at present. We had many rainstorms, of course, at 
other times. 

The mountains around our valley of Wyoming occasion- 
ally take fire, and, after a day or two of burning, form nearly 
a circle. A rain opportunely occurs, about this time, and 
extinguishes it. Prof. Espy, some years ago, had a theory of 
the effect of fires in producing rain. 

I am, very truly, etc., 

E. L. Dana, 



"With the foregoing letter, General Dana was 
kind enough to forward the following from General 
E. S. Osborne : 

Doc. No. 25. 

WlLKESBARRE, Nov. 19, 1870. 

Gen. E. L. Dana : 

General — The letter of Mr. Powers, to you, and also the 
article containing remarks relative to the supposed effect of 
artillery fire in producing rain have been read by me, and in 
compliance with your desire, I would state that heavy storms 
followed the following battles, viz. : Chancellorsville, Wilder- 
ness, North Anna River, Weldon Railroad, and Hatcher's 
Run. Upon these occasions, I am positive that we had very 
heavy rain, accompanied with thunder. Whether other bat- 



APPENDIX. 127 



ties, in which the Army of the Potomac was engaged, were 
followed by storms, I do not now distinctly remember. 
Very respectfully, your obedient servant and friend, 

E. S. Osborne. 



Doc. No. 26. 
From Brevet Major General Henry J. Hunt, TJ. S. A. 

Fort Adams, Newport, R. L, Nov. 13, 1870. 
Mr. Edward Powers, Chicago, 111. : 

Dear Sir — Your note of the 18th of October, with its 
enclosure, reached me in due course. My absence for a por- 
tion of the time since, and other duties, have prevented my 
returning an earlier answer. 

I cannot, at this time, give very accurate answers to your 
questions respecting the occurrence of storms after battles, 
but, in many cases, I can remember, with sufficient certainty, 
their occurrence, and very nearly the period within which 
they occurred. 

The battle of Cherubusco, in the valley of Mexico, was 
fought on the 20th of August, 1847. The rainy season must 
have been closed, or near its close. At Puebla, during the 
months of June, July, and, perhaps, the beginning of August, 
there were heavy falls of rain every afternoon, the skies clear- 
ing before suuset, and the atmosphere being remarkably clear 
until the next afternoon ; but I remember that on the march 
from Puebla, which commenced 7th August, the days were, 
generally, if not always, clear, bright and beautiful. On the 
14th, the whole day was bright and clear. I was specially 
engaged that day on duty, which I remember. I believe the 
15th was a similarly clear day, as was the 16th, the date of 
the commencement of the movement round Chalco. There 
was some little rain on the 17th or 18th, but it was not, I 
believe, very heavy. The 19th was clear and beautiful, in 
the afternoon, at the usual hour, for rains. I remember that 
I was watching the movement taking place at Contreras, from 
a distance, at the time. I think that night was cloudy, dark, 
and, perhaps, rainy. I do not think the rain was very heavy. 
There had been cannonading at Contreras during the day. 
Since writing the foregoing, I have found General Scott's 



128 APPENDIX. 

report of this action. He describes the fire of artillery as 
licaoy, the enemy having twenty-two guns mounted, to which 
we could only reply with a battery or two of six pounders, 
and one of mountain howitzers. I doubt if all the enemy's 
guns were used, or could be brought to bear that afternoon. 
However, General Scott says, in one place : " It was already 
dark, and the cold rain had begun to fall in torrents on our 
unsheltered troops. " He afterwards refers to the night march 
of the troops being hindered by "mud and rain." I was 
under partial shelter that night, which may account for my 
recollections not being very clear of " torrents of rain." 

The battle of Churubusco was fought the next day, which 
was bright and clear ; I don't remember rain. The day after 
it rained heavily whilst we were on the march to Tacubaya. 
I do not remember, with sufficient distinctness, the condition 
of the weather after other Mexican battles ; nor, considering 
the nearness of the period named to the rainy season, are the 
above facts, perhaps, of great significance. 

The 21st of July, 1861, the day of the battle of Bull 
Kun, was clear, hot and bright all day long. The next after- 
noon there were " torrents of rain," which continued all 
n ight. 

The battle of Gaines' Mill was fought June 27, 1862. 
It was a bright, clear day, as was, also, the 28th j but, on the 
night of the 28th, and morning of the 29th, it rained heavily. 

The 29th and 30th of June were fair, bright days. The 
battle of Malvern was fought July 1, a bright, clear day. 
During the night it commenced raining ; and on the 2nd, and 
3rd, also, I think, it poured down. 

I do not remember that the battle of Antietam was fol- 
lowed by rain. It may have been; I do not remember. 
Nor can I speak, positively, as to that of Fredericksburg, 
December 11-13', 1862. 

The battles of Chancellorsville, May 2-4, were fought, I 
believe, thoughout in fair weather. In the afternoon of the 
day the army recrossed (5th), it poured rain — raising the 
river, sweeping off the bridges, so cutting off the movement 
until they could be restored — and continued all night, and 
part of the next day. 

The battle of Gettysburg was fought July 1, 2 and 3, in 
clear weather. On the 4th it rained furiously, and continued 
part of the 5th. 



APPENDIX. 129 

I do not remember that violent rain followed the battle of 
the Wilderness. There was not much artillery fire compared 
with the magnitude of the forces engaged. This was on the 
5th and 6th. There was rain, I believe, on the 8th or 9th, 
during the first fight, on the right, at Spottsylvania C. H. 
After the heavy fighting there, the army, on its move to the 
left, to renew the attack, did so through a heavy storm of 
rain, which continued next day. 

The fighting, however, from the 4th of May to the 27th, 
when the army crossed the Pamunkey, was so continuous, 
that little, if any, conclusion, from the rains that happened 
in that period, could be drawn, as affecting the question of 
cause. 

As to the temperature and direction of the wind, at these 
times, I cannot give you any information worth recording. 
The occurrence of rains, soon after battles, I have noticed 
frequently ; but whether previous statements that such was 
often the case, or whether the frequency of the occurrence 
attracted my attention, I cannot say. Frequently without 
means of keeping memoranda on pressing subjects, of course 
I had neither time nor opportunity to record such facts. 
Indeed, the necessity of trusting to memory for many things 
is what enables me to recall circumstances of time, place and 
weather; that permit me to write this letter, which, I fear, 
you will not find very useful, but it is the best I can do to 
comply with your request. I regret exceedingly that I 
cannot do better. 

Very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Henry J. Hunt, Maj. Gen. Bvt. 
Late Chief of Artillery, Army of the Potomac. 



Doc. No. 27. 

From Brevet Brigadier General P. V. Hagner, of the 
Ordnance Department, U. S. A. 

Watervliet Arsenal, West Troy, N. Y., Dec. 28, 1870. 
Edward Powers, Esq., Box 45, Chicago : 

Sir — I have received your note of the 24th, and respond 
with pleasure to your inquiries. I have no doubt that heavy 



130 APPENDIX. 

firing of artillery is, almost invariably, soon succeeded by a 
fall of rain ; and I think it will be proven that this effect is 
due to some other cause than the heat evolved in burning 
gunpowder. It would seem, also, pretty certain that a second 
spell of firing, in the same vicinity, will not produce a second 
rainstorm within a day or two (or more) after the first. You 
will have a good chance of deciding the exact amount of 
influence due to this by observing carefully the reports from 
the Prussio-French battle-fields. The matter is alluded to 
under the head of " Rain following the discharge of ordnance/' 
in the " Annual of Scientific Discovery," page 392, year 1862, 
and page 333, year 1863. 

All accounts of the battle of Waterloo tell of the heavy 
rains during that battle. The same is true of many others of 
Napoleon's battles. 

About the battles of Mexico, concerning which you ask 
my remembrance, I can refer you to Henry B. Dawson's 
" Battles of the United States," where, on page 467, siege of 
Monterey, September 21, 1846, after a continuous engage- 
ment, " Soon after the storming of the two forts, Federacion 
and Soldado, a violent storm came up ;" and page 468, " the 
men were exposed to the unbroken pelting of a pitiless storm 
during the night." Also, page 473 : " General Worth and 
second division, as has been seen, spent the night entirely 
exposed to the peltings of a severe storm." 

Battle of Buena Vista, page 491, the firing commenced 
on the morning of the 22nd of February, and " at night the 
cold wind and drizzling rain which chilled the bodies." But 
there was heavier firing on the 23rd, while, at night, the 
" moon shone -/' page 497. 

Battle of Contreras, page 563 : " The battle raged 
furiously, and for more than three hours the entire force was 
under fire." *_**.." Night, at length, put an end to the 
conflict, and a cold rain, which soon afterwards began to fall 
in torrents," — (as I well remember.) 

I am almost certain that in the afternoon and evening of 
the 8th of September, after the battle of Molino del Rey, 
there was a hard rain. It was clear until 1 or 2 o'clock, I 
remember. 

We fired all day of the 12th of September, at Chepul- 
tepec, but not very rapidly (as we could not spare many 
shot.) It was clear the 13th, but, I think, rained before 



APPENDIX. 131 

night, on the 12th. (I do not feel certain, however, and 
cannot now confirm my impression.) It was dark and cloudy 
the night of the 13th, (when I was throwing some shells and 
shot from San Cosine Garita to let the Mexicans feel where toe 
were,) but bright enough the morning of the 14th, when we 
marched into the city. 

I am sorry that T cannot be more definite in my inform- 
ation. 

Very respectfully, sir, your obedient servant, 

P. V. Hagner. 

General Hagner, in a subsequent letter, men- 
tions that he thinks he has a distinct recollection of 
rain, which occurred after the battle of Chepultepec, 
between the time he was firing from the Garita of 
San Cosme, and sunrise, on the morning of the 14th. 



Doc. No. 28. 
From Major General TJios. J. Wood, U. S. A. 

Dayton, 0., Jan. 9, 1871. 
Edward Powers, Esq., Civil Engineer, Chicago, El. : 

Dear Sir — Your note of the 28th ult,. covering a slip 
from the Chicago Post, written by you, is received. 

The theory, suggested by you, of the relation of cause and 
effect between great atmospheric disturbances, such as are 
caused by the heavy cannonading in great battles, and the 
occurrence of rain immediately afterwards, is not new ; but 
the suggestion of a series of experiments, with a view to the 
determination, with reasonable satisfaction, whether the theory 
is true, for the purpose of making it practically useful, is 
novel, and well worthy of consideration. 

A collation of facts, drawn from many reliable sources, 
might well serve as the basis of further experiments 

Many battles, as all know who have had any experience 
on the subject, have been followed by rain, while others have 
not. This fact would seem to indicate that if the atmospheric 
disturbances caused by the firing in battle have any effect in 



132 APPENDIX. 

producing rain, the actual accomplishment of rain depends, 
in a great measure, if not chiefly, on the condition of the 
atmosphere. The condition of the atmosphere should, hence, 
be one of the chief factors to be observed in the experiments 
you propose. 

With these preliminary remarks, I will give you a few 
facts, drawn from my own personal experience. 

Battle of Monterey, September 23, 1846. Morning 
bright and fair, with no indications of rain. Heavy cannon- 
ading during the day. The evening and night closed in with 
heavy rain. 

Battle of Contreras, August 19, 1847. Same remarks 
applicable as to battle of Monterey. 

Battle of Shiloh, April 6, 1862. Same remarks as to 
Monterey. 

Battle of Stone River, December 31, 1862. Much 
heavy cannonading, followed by sleet, snow and rain. 

Battle of Nashville, December 15 and 16, 1864. Same 
remarks applicable as to battle of Stone River. 

I might mention similar facts, drawn from my own 
experience or historical reading, but these, with such as you 
will, doubtlessly, derive from like sources, will, probably, 
answer your purpose. 

Very respectfully, etc., 

Th. J. Wood, 
Major General, U. S. Army. 



Doc. No. 29. 
From Major General R. W. Johnson, U. S. A. 

Saint Paul, Minn., Jan. 10, 1871. 
My Bear Sir— Yours, of the 28th ult., with enclosure, is 
received. Throughout the late war I had frequent occasion 
to observe that heavy cannonading was soon followed by 
rain. I was present and engaged in the battles of Stone 
river, Liberty Gap, Chicamauga" Mission Ridge; the cam- 
paign, to within three miles, of Atlanta; and, also, the bat- 
tle of Nashville. Heavy rains followed Stone River, Liberty 
Gap, Mission Ridge, and Nashville. During the Atlanta 
campaign, which was a continuous battle of ninety days, we 



APPENDIX. 133 

had heavy rains, at short intervals. After the battle of 
Chicamauga no rain fell; but it must be remembered that 
this battle was fought in the woods, where artillery could not 
be handled easily, and there was but little cannonading on 
that field. It was so common for rain to succeed battles, that 
I think it was generally conceded that these showers were 
brought about by the heavy firing. 

In my own opinion, I am satisfied that rain can be pro- 
duced by a heavy cannonading. My own experience satisfies 
me, and I think the opinion became general during the war. 
Your obedient servant, 

R. W. Johnson, 
Major General, U. 8. A., retired. 



Doc. No. 30. 
From Major General Schuyler Hamilton, of New York. 

New York City, Jan. 14, 1871. 

Edw. Powers, Esq., P. 0. Box No. 45, Chicago, 111. : 

Dear Sir — Your favor of December 24, 1870, was only 
received yesterday. You will see, by the enclosed envelope, 
why. As to the subject of rain after heavy firing in battle, 
I can say, as to Monterey, that, though the day on which the 
battle commenced was, in the morning, bright and beautiful, 
a heavy rain fell in the evening, viz., September 21, 1846. 
I think the same phenomena was exhibited September 22 and 
23. I was so grievously wounded at the time of the battles 
of Molino del Rey and Chepul tepee, as to be unable to par- 
ticipate. However, at Mira Flores, the affair in which I was 
wounded, where the firing of small arms was very brisk for a 
time, a bright afternoon and day was followed by a heavy 
fall of rain. I have referred your note to Col. H. L. 
Scott, who was Chief-of-Staff and Adjutant General to Gen. 
Scott in Mexico, asking him as to his recollections as to Molino 
del Rey and Chepultepec. I merely state my recollection 
as to the fact that rain fell on the occasions referred to by 
me. I think my observation has been wherever I have been 
engaged, that the concussion produced by the heavy fire of 



134 APPENDIX. 

a battle has been invariably followed by rain. Such was the 
case after Palo Alto, Mex., also. 

I remain your obedient servant, 

Schuyler Hamilton, 

In referring tLe writer's inquiries to Colonel 
Scott, as General Hamilton was kind enough to do, 
the following correspondence ensued : 

Col. H. L. Scott will oblige me by stating if he has any 
recollection about the weather after Molino del Rey and 
Chepultepec, Mex., as I wish to oblige the writer of enclosed 
by a simple statement of the fact of rain or no rain — 
leaving to him his theory. 

Yours, truly, 

Schuyler Hamilton, 
Late Major General of Volunteers. 

Dear Hamilton — I am unable to recollect whether it 
rained or not after Molino del Rey, and I probably should 
not be able to recollect how it was after Chepultepec and the 
City of Mexico, but in the " Mexican History of the War in 
Mexico/' I find the following passage : "The morning of the 
14th (September) was as gloomy and sad as the destiny of the 
Republic. There was a mist so thick that objects could not 
be seen at a few steps distance. Soon after a light shower 
began to fall, which soaked the soldiers, and the cold increased 
that was felt." 

Truly, yours, 

H. L. Scott. 



Doc. No. 31. 
From Major General John C. Robinson* U. S. A. 

Binghamton, N. Y., Jan. 16, 1871. 
Emv. Powers, Esq., Chicago : 

Sir — Your favor, of the 28th ult., forwarded from 
Washington, has been received. In reply. I would say that 
I have not the slightest doubt of the correctness of the theory 
you mention. I have observed that all great battles in which 



APPENDIX. 135 

I have been engaged, (particularly those of several days' 
continuance,) were followed by heavy rains. Some of the 
battles in Mexico, the battles on the Chickahomiuy, the 
seven days' battles, the battle of Fredericksburg, and the 
battle of Gettysburg were immediately followed by very 
heavy rains. That heavy cannonading will produce rain, 
does not, in my opinion, admit of doubt. 

Very respectfully, yours, etc., 

John C. Robinson, 

Major General, U, S, A. 



Doc. No. 32. 
From Major General J. M. Schofield, U. S. A. 

San Francisco, California, Jan. 19, 1871. 
Mr. Edward Powers, Chicago, 111. : 

Dear Sir — Your letter of October 15, has, unintention- 
ally, been left unanswered until now. I cannot attempt to 
give, from memory, specific facts which would be of value to 
you, but the general fact of a fall of rain during or imme- 
diately following heavy discharges of artillery and musketry, 
has been, in my experience, so common, and regarded so 
much a matter of course, as to attract no special notice in 
individual cases. My impression has been, however, that this 
phenomenon results only when the quantity of moisture in 
the atmosphere approaches nearly the point of saturation, 
and when any considerable disturbance of equilibrium might, 
naturally, be expected to produce condensation. In a calm, 
moist atmosphere, heavy discharges of artillery are, I think, 
very generally followed immediately by a fall of rain. Be- 
yond this my experience does not enable me to express an 
opinion. 

The subject you have under consideration is one of much 
interest, and may prove to be of no little importance. 
Very respectfully, 

J. M. SCHOFIELD. 



136 APPENDIX. 

Doc. No. 33. 

Extracts from a Letter from Major H. S. Melcher, dated 
Portland, Maine, Feb. 18, 1871. 

" Antietam," September 17th, 1862, was the first battle I 
was in. The first day's fighting was sharp, with heavy artil- 
lery firing; the next day there was a very sudden and heavy 
shower of rain ; had been none for five days previous." 

"Alder/ 7 June 21, 1863. A general skirmish, with but 
little artillery firing. Next day foggy, with quite a fall of 
rain. Had been very dry for two weeks." 

Major Melcher also mentions the rains after 
Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg ; 
but as these are elsewhere sufficiently described, his 
description is omitted. In regard to the battle of 
Spottsylvania, he says : " A very heavy rain storm 
set in the night of the 10th." 

Of subsequent battles : 

" Being wounded, I did not rejoin the army till October, 
so that I cannot speak of the results of operations in front of 
Richmond and Petersburg; but at the battle of Dabney's 
Mills, February 6, 1865, where considerable artillery was 
used, afternoon of the 6th, a storm of rain and snow set in 
next morning." 

" The first day's operations in front of Petersburg, which 
resulted in the fall of that place and final overthrow of the 
rebellion, was followed by a heavy rain, storm, which con- 
tinued all night and the day following*" 



Doc. No. 34. 

From Colonel R. Kennicott, of Illinois. 

Chicago, III., Feb. 22, 1871. 
Dear Sir — Yours, of yesterday, is at hand. In reply, 
I have the honor to state that I was at the battle of Pea 



APPENDIX. 137 

Ridge, Ark. It did rain after that battle ; I think the 
morning after, March 9, 1862, when a very heavy shower 
fell. 

I did not march with the command up Red River, and 
did not belong to the army or armies engaged at the other 
places you mention, save at Vicksburg. I was present there 
from June 14 to the fall, but do not remember about the 
rainfalls, though I think there were several light showers. I 
think we had rain just after Prairie Grove, and I have sev- 
eral times noticed that cannonading was followed by rain. 

With regrets that I have no data with which to furnish 

you, 

I am, sir, very respectfully, yours, 

R. Kennicott. 



Doc. No. 35. 

From Rear Admiral L. M. Goldsborough, U. S. Navy. 

Navy Yard, Washington, D. C, Feb. 25, 1871. 
Edw. Powers, Esq. : 

Dear Sir — In reply to yours of the 22nd, received by 
the mail of yesterday, I have to say that my impression is 
quite decided upon the subject to which you advert, but it is 
impossible for me, at this time to furnish you with the details 
you wish without a research, which I have not now the time to 
make. It is my firm belief that, invariably, an early fall of 
rain follows a heavy firing of artillery, continued for a few 
hours in a limited district of space. It may be, however, 
that the phenomenon is more likely to occur on land than at 
sea; and I am inclined to think that such is the case. 

As well as I can now recollect, rain occurred the next 
day after the bombardment of Roanoke Island, if not during 
the night of the same day, February, 1862. But to get the 
facts you want, with precision, I would commend you to 
consult our Log Books. They are carefully kept preserved 
in our Bureau of Navigation, and they give the weather, at 
short intervals, for every day of the year, recorded, too, in 
the most systematic manner. In a word, they will tell you, 
beyond all doubt or dispute, exactly what weather did occur 
after every naval engagement. * * * They are a source 



138 APPENDIX. 

to which you should appeal for the most reliable information 
in regard to the subject you have in hand, which, to my 
apprehension, is fraught with interest, and can be worked 
up, probably, to the advantage of science, if not to special 
benefit. Rain, for instance, as we all know, is the best of 
fertilizers; and a means within general reach may be discov- 
ered to cause it to descend when most wanted. Philosophy 
holds all things to be possible. 

Very truly, yours, 

L. M. GrOLDSBOROUGH, 

Rear Admiral, U. S. Navy. 



Doc. No. 36. 
From General Julius White, of Illinois. 

Chicago, III., Feb. 26, 1871. 
Edward Powers, Esq., C. E., Amenia, N. Y. : 

Dear Sir — In reply to your note of the 20th inst., ask- 
ing the result of my observations, during the late war, relative 
to the theory that rains are produced by the firing of artillery, 
I would state that the only marked instance within my recol- 
lection occurred in the month of August, 1864, at about the 
time the Weldon railroad was taken by the Fifth Corps, 
under General Warren. 

During the fighting which ensued upon that event, say 
from the 18th to the 26th, within which there were two bat- 
tles fought by the Fifth, and a part of the Ninth Corps, and 
one about five miles south by the Second Corps, I noticed and 
called the attention of some of the officers with whom I was 
associated, to the fact that the sun rose and set for a number 
of days upon skies which were free from clouds, yet the rain 
fell copiously during the nights. 

It was regarded as remarkable, if not anomalous, and the 
theory to which you allude was somewhat discussed, at the 
time, in connection with the fact. 

It is proper to state that there was one day (the 21st), 
when a heavy fog prevailed — brought to my recollection 
by the fact that the enemy attacked on that morning. 

The effect upon the health of the troops, and especially 



APPENDIX. 13 ( J 

upon my own, gave me further reason to remark the state of 
the weather, and I attribute a subsequent long sickness to 
the extreme heat, during the days, and copious rains of the 
nights, during the period mentioned. 

Very respectfully, yours, 

Julius White. 



Doc. No. 37. 

Extract from a Letter from Commander E. Barrett, IT. S. 
Navy, dated Ordnance Office, Navy Yard, New York, 
March 1, 1871. 

" From boyhood I noticed that the atmosphere was affected 
by the firing of heavy ordnance. My attention was first 
attracted to the subject in 1843 and 1844, in the harbor of 
Rio de Janeiro. We had had beautiful weather : a change 
was brought about by the arrival of the Princess of Naples, 
now Empress of Brazil. She was accompanied by the 
Neapolitan and Brazilian squadrons. On her arrival the 
fortifications and foreign squadrons began to fire. The firing 
continued for an hour or more, when the sky was suddenly 
obscured, and heavy showers followed. The next day was 
calm and partly overcast ; as soon as the firing of salutes was 
renewed, the rain began to fall, and the breeze sprang up." 



As I have already given, or quoted from, some 
letters expressing a different opinion from the 
majority of the foregoing, I trust it will not be 
supposed to be my intention to convey the idea that 
the opinion became general in our army, during 
our late war, that artillery firing brought rain. 
Such, indeed, was not the case, as there were a vast 
number who gave no thought to the subject; and 
there are some who doubt that this effect was ever 
produced. In order to show fairly what is said on 



140 APPENDIX. 

both sides of the question, the following additional 
opinions, adverse to the theory under discussion, 
are here introduced. 

General J. H. Wilson, U. S. Engineers, a gentle- 
man of high scientific attainments, as well as of 
fame as a soldier, says: "I am constrained to say 
that my experience, extending from the first to the 
last days of our late war, during which I participated 
in nearly all of our great battles, does not justify 
me in pronouncing an opinion favorable to your 
hypothesis in reference to the influence of cannon 
firing in producing rain. I should add, however, 
that I have given but little attention to the subject, 
and, therefore, do not wish to be understood as say- 
ing that you are incorrect in your suppositions. 
The question, although not a new one, is, as you 
justly remark, one of great interest, and should be 
settled by experiments directed solely to that end. 
I do not regard the casual recollections of officers 
in reference to such a matter as of any great value. 
A well directed series of experiments would be of 
infinitely more service towards the formation of 
true opinions. Trusting that your investigations 
may be so encouraged as to enable you to arrive at 
the truth, whatever it may be, T am," etc. 

Another officer, who is more decided in his dis- 
belief that battles cause rain, says: "Most of our 
battles were fought in the season of thunder storms, 
and w r ere, almost without exception, preceded by 
extremely hot, sultry weather— so were the battles 
of Chancellors ville and Gettysburg, and many of 



APPENDIX. 141 

the engagements during the Atlanta campaign, by 
an atmosphere which made it almost impossible for 
the troops to reach the battle fields, and I consid- 
ered the then following severe thunder and rain 
storms as the natural course of nature. The Atlanta 
campaign was especially remarkable for such storms, 
which, almost twice a week, took place ; but I 
remember distinctly that they not always followed 
heavy cannonades or musketry. In some instances, 
as towards the end of the series of battles for the 
possession of Kenesaw Mountain, the weather 
changed to the fairer, to remain so for almost two 
weeks, in spite of tremendous firing, while rain had 
been impending, and fell afterward on the march to 
that position, and during the commencement of the 
engagement. The second battle of Bull Run was 
fought in fair, hot weather, which remained until 
our retreat into the defences of Washington, some 
days after. So was Pope's campaign only inter- 
rupted by one severe thunder storm. 

• "The campaign of Fremont through the Shenan- 
doah Valley was preceded and accompanied by 
thunder storms. Missionary Ridge was fought on 
a beautiful day, and the clouds which covered 
Lookout Mountain were evidently dispersed by the 
heavy cannonades, a similar instance to which I 
observed afterwards at Charleston, East Tennessee. 
"My general observation is, that in 1862, fair 
weather; and in 1863, ? 61 and '65, rains prevailed, 
during and after battles. In all cases, however, I 
feel rather inclined to believe that these rains were 



142 APPENDIX. 

the consequence of the already existing condition 
of the atmosphere, and the season of the year/' 

In answer to the statements contained in the let- 
ter last quoted from, I refer, first, to the foregoing 
pages for proof that not only in the season of thun- 
der storms, but in all seasons, rain, snow, or hail 
follows battles. In relation to the Atlanta cam- 
paign, which has been described as a continuous 
battle for ninety days, I remark that the admission 
that it was remarkable for thunder storms is good 
evidence in support of the theory under discussion, 
and no less so that it is made to appear that a little 
time sometimes elapsed between a spell of heavy 
firing and the succeeding rain, or that rain some- 
times followed the light rather than the heavy firing. 

In regard to the battle of Mission Ridge, admit- 
ting that the clouds were dispersed, it is safe to say 
that they very soon after gathered again, for this 
battle is said to have been followed by rain. Admit- 
ting, also, that Fremont's campaign in the Shenan- 
doah Valley was preceded by rain, it is equally true 
that it was preceded by a battle — viz., General 
Banks' battle of "Winchester. The facts which I 
have given, with the evidence by which they are 
supported, show that my correspondent is in error 
in supposing that the occurrence of ram, in connec- 
tion with battles, was less marked in 1862 than in 
1863, '64 and '65. That his memory is at fault in 
some other points also, is shown by the fact that 
rain immediately followed each and every engage- 
ment of General Pope's Virginia campaign, and 



APPENDIX. 143 

by the further fact that, so far from there having 
been no rain after the second battle of Bull Run 
until the retreat of our army into the defences of 
AVashington, there was a shower the next morning 
following the close of the battle, and on the second 
day after it, during the battle of Chantilly, a most 
terrific thunder storm. 

The above, and the other extracts which have 
been given from letters adverse to the theory under 
consideration, are selected, not for the ease with 
which they can be answered, but because of the 
high sources from which they come, and because 
they represent the principal points that have been 
made against it as far as my correspondence has 
extended, except one, which will be presently 
noticed. The few who express doubt as to the fact 
of the production of artificial weather by battles or 
artillery firing, generally base their opinions upon 
what can be shown to be unsound premises ; and, 
indeed, it is not surprising that this should be the 
case. Those who gave little or no attention to the 
subject during the war, when matters of more 
instant importance generally, after battles, required 
their care, must naturally be more or less at fault 
in their recollections of the weather at such times, 
after so long a period as has since elapsed. 

Col. C. H. Crane, Assistant Surgeon General, 
U. S. A., says: "If it could be shown that rains 
were decidedly more frequent immediately after 
battles than antecedent probability would lead us 
to expect — that is, for instance, if the day after a 



144 APPENDIX. 

great battle was rainy in sixty cases out of an 
hundred, while the average probability of a rainy 
day, in the places where the battles were fought, at 
that season of the year when they were fought, 
were only twenty per cent., — it would then remain 
to be inquired into whether battles were not com- 
monly preceded by a number of days of dry weather 
that made military movements more active and 
brought the armies together." 

In answer to the objection, which, I understand, 
to be here suggested, it is not necessary to dwell 
upon the fact that, during our late war, orders for 
military movements, at distant points, frequently 
emanated from Washington, where the state of the 
weather, at the time existing at such points, could 
not be properly considered ; for, if it be true that 
battles are generally preceded by several days of 
dry weather, this circumstance would be rightly 
regarded by most persons as furnishing an argument 
for the theory that maintains that the battles cause 
the succeeding rains, rather than one against it. 
At any given time during a spell of dry, settled 
weather, it is more reasonable to expect that the 
next day will be fair, than that it will be rainy. If 
rains naturally occurred at regular intervals, then, in 
considering whether a rain following a battle was or 
was not produced by the battle, it would be necessary 
to inquire whether it was not the time for rain, 
though there had been no artificial cause to pro- 
duce it — but, occurring at irregular intervals, as 
they do, this point would seem to be one which has no 



APPENDIX. 145 

material bearing on the question. This will be more 
apparent, if we consider how it would affect the 
credibility of the theory, if it could be shown that 
battles were generally preceded by wet weather, 
instead of dry. Indeed, in the case of two or three 
battles, it has been mentioned as a fact bearing 
against it, that they were preceded, as well as fol- 
lowed, by rain. Thus it is seen that while one 
individual would doubt that a battle caused the 
rain which followed it, because there had been 
previous dry weather, and it was time to expect 
rain, another would entertain the same doubt in 
reference to another battle, because there had been 
rain immediately previous, and it was reasonable to 
expect more. Such reasoning requires only to be 
stated to show its fallacy. From the mere fact of 
dry or wet weather before a battle, it cannot be 
predicated what should be the weather which fol- 
lows it. 

I have already presented evidence sufficient to 
establish the facts that have been stated, and in the 
following letters will be found still further testi- 
mony bearing on some of the same points. 

Doc. No. 38. 
From Captain N. J. Manning, 23rd Ohio Vol Infantry. 

Barnesviile, 0., Oct. 31, 1870. 
Edward Powers, Esq., Civil Engineer. Chicago, 111. : 

Sir — I noticed an article in the New York Evening 
Post, entitled " Artillery firing and rain/' signed by you, and 
requesting the experience of any one who had observed the 
same ; and I, in response to that, will give you some of my 
experience and observations. 



146 APPENDIX. 

I was a member of the 25th Ohio Vol. Infantry from the 
10th of June, 1861, until the 27th of July, 1864, and par- 
ticipated in all the engagements the regiment was in between 
said dates (excepting the taking of Fort Wagner, on Morris 
Island, in front of Charleston, S. C.,) to wit: Cheat Moun- 
tain, Green Brier, Allegheny Summit, Monterey, Bull Pasture 
Mountain, in West Virginia ; the pursuit of Jackson, by 
Fremont, up the Shenandoah Valley, which ended in the 
battle of Cross Keys ; Cedar Mountain ; Pope's retreat, 
which culminated in the second battle of Bull Run; Fred- 
ericksburgh and Chanceliorsville, in Virginia; and last, not 
least, the battle of Gettysburg, in Pennsylvania — in all of 
which engagements, or wherever there was artillery practice 
of any moment, I observed that rain fell either during the 
engagement or immediately thereafter, and the quantity of 
rain seemed to be in proportion to the amount of artillery 
firing, and I thought then, and I believe now, that the firing 
caused the rain. 

The rain falling, on all the foregoing instances, without 
a single exception, convinced me that it could not be merely 
a coincidence, but that the rain was brought on by the firing, 
and I think there is no doubt of it. I also heartily concur 
with you in your views, that, in time of drouths, large 
amounts of money could be made to the country, at a little 
expense, by the use of powder in that manner. 
Yours, respectfully, 

N. J. Manning, 
Late Captain 25th 0. V. I. 



A similarity will be noticed in the ideas of the 
writer of the following with those of Captain Man- 
ning, in relation to the amount of rain as compared 
to the amount of firing. 

Doc. No. 39. 

New York, Oct. 17, 1870. 
Sir — I notice your article in to-day's Telegram, and 
believe its theory is correct. Have thought so since 1861, 



APPENDIX. 147 

and my idea was confirmed by every heavy cannonading or 
musketry fire in my vicinity. 

There were quite heavy rains very soon after the fight at 
Big Bethel, the naval battle in Hampton Roads between the 
Monitor and Merrimac, etc., etc., and the very severe battle 
at Malvern Hills. 

It struck me as a curious fact that the amount of rain 
which fell after each battle, seemed to be very nearly in pro- 
portion to the amount of powder that was burnt. 
Respectfully, 

Fred. M. Patrick, 

Of JOth N. Y. Vol. Lift. 
Edward Powers, Esq. 5 Chicago, 111. 



Doc. No. 40. 
From General E. W. Serrell^ of New York. 

Office of E. W. Serrell, Civil Engineer, ") 
64 and G6 Broadway, Xew York, Dec. 9, 1870. / 

Sir — I am favored by your letter of the 28th ult., 
received to-day. 

In reply to your request, permit me to say that, from my 
earliest recollection it was always understood that rain would 
follow the celebration of the 4th of July in this city, when 
an unusual display was indulged in, and years ago your sug- 
gestion was considered, here, very reasonable, and more than 
once I have heard of discharges of artillery for the express 
purpose of bringing on rain. 

In the Department of the South, during the war, so well 
was this thing understood, and the correctness of the theory 
recognized, that we always looked for rain after heavy can- 
nonading, and at the bombardment of Morris Island, James 
Island, and several other places, rain followed by sundown, 
or soon afterwards. I have not my army journal with me, 
but this I remember well, that both in the South and in 
Virginia, if rain did not follow a general engagement, we 
considered it the exception, not the rule; and I think most 
officers, especially engineers who keep journals, will agree 
with me, that such is their recorded experience. 
Yours obedient servant, 

Edward W. Serrell. 
Edward Powers, Esq., P. 0. Box 45, Chicago, 111. 



148 APPENDIX. 

Doc. No. 41. 

From a Soldier of a Massachusetts Regiment. 

Richmond, McHenry Co., III., Dec. 26, 1870. 
Edward Powers, Esq., Civil Engineer : 

Dear Sir — In looking over the columns of a newspaper 
— The Watchman and Reflector — dated October, 1870, I 
chanced to see an article written over the above signature, 
making some suggestions, and, at the same time, inviting a 
statement of facts concerning the effect of the explosion of 
gunpowder on the atmosphere, in respect to rain, etc., etc. 
I will scan a three years' experience in the army with a con- 
densation that might be styled "multum in parvo" 

I was a soldier in the war of 1861 ; member of a Massa- 
chusetts regiment ; was in Gulf Department, and most of 
the time in Louisiana ; was stationed on Ship Island three 
weeks The troops, 13,000 strong, drilled six hours a day; 
at least two days in each week, the whole number were put 
through sham fights, in which some 30,000 rounds of blank 
cartridges were fired. The day following the first firing was 
foggy and cloudy ; the succeeding night it rained hard. At 
the second drill of this sort only two brigades fired cartridges, 
and one battery fired a few rounds. In the night a heavy 
thunder storm arose, and three men were killed by lightning 
in one company. Though there was no more rain in the 
remaining days that we were on the Island, there was much 
dull weather. 

During the bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. 
Phillip, we had much heavy weather, especially the last days 
of the bombardment; and, for several days thereafter, rain 
fell copiously. During, or soon after the various battles and 
skirmishes in which we were engaged, we almost invariably 
had heavy weather, and not unfrequently torrents of rain fell. 

Up to end of first eighteen months service, though I kept 
a diary, I had not once thought of the probable cause of sud- 
den changes in the weather, which, according to my diary, 
had occurred every time that the army moved from one 
position to another, and, as a consequence, became engaged 
with the enemy. My attention was first seriously attracted 
to the matter by repeatedly hearing superstitious soldiers, as 



APPENDIX. 149 

I considered them, remark that fate was against us, because 
every time we moved we had to wallow in the mud ; that we 
had pleasant weather in camp, but whenever we were set in 
motion " the rains descended, the floods came," etc., etc. 
Partly on account of superstitious gossip and gloomy predic- 
tions, and partly to gratify my own curiosity, I resolved, from 
this date to keep a clear and regular account of the weather, 
both in camp and in the field. I did keep a strict account, 
but the diary was afterwards burned on the steamer Wash- 
ington, — so I am obliged to chronicle from memory. The 
storming of Fort Hudson, May 27, 1863, was followed by 
torrents of rain. There was much wet weather during the 
whole siege, extending far inland, and as far south as the 
Gulf. Immediately after the assault of June 14, there were 
several days of dull weather, and much rain. 

On the Red River campaign, where there was continual 
fighting for thirty- two days in succession, and several hard 
contested battles, there was much heavy weather. A heavy 
thunder storm generally followed the first or second day after 
a general engagement. This was especially the case where 
numerous batteries of artillery were brought into action. A 
severe engagement took place near the Atchafalaya river, 
La. When the battle began the sun shone clear — not a 
cloud in sight. Early in the evening the artillery of both 
contending armies opened a terrific cannonade, which lasted 
about three hours. Next morning, rain began to fall. The 
two armies met on the plains of Marksville. The result was 
a bloody and destructive encounter, followed by nearly a 
week of rain. This action took place in May, 1864. Dur- 
ing my three years' exposure as a soldier, I do not recollect 
of any considerable engagement not followed by heavy 
weather and rain. This result was invariably the case when 
numerous batteries of artillery were brought into action. 

I have given a plain statement of facts upon a subject 
worthy the careful consideration and investigation of scientific 
men. Looking at this matter in the light of discoveries of 
the past, that have done so much to enlighten and benefit 
the human race, it certainly is not impossible, nor even 
improbable that, at no distant day, the elements may be so 
controlled that rain shall descend at the will of man. 
I am, sir, respectfully, your obedient servant, 

Marshall M. Clothier. 



METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS. 



A few specimens are appended of meteorological observa- 
tions taken during and immediately subsequent to naval 
engagements.* It should be stated that the weather was 
sometimes registered in a different way in the log-books; 
some of the vessels — especially the gunboats on the Missis- 
sippi — having been unsupplied with instruments or with 
books ruled in the requisite form. 

EXPLANATION OF THE SIGNS FOR FORCE OF WIND. 

Calm. 6 Strong Wind. 

1 Light Airs. 7 Moderate Gale. 

2 Light Breeze. 8 Fresh Gale. 

3 Gentle Wind. 9 Strong Gale. 

4 Moderate Wind. 10 Heavy Gale. 

5 Fresh Wind, in which they 12 Hurricane. 

can just carry top-gallant 
sails. 

SIGNS FOR STATE OF THE WEATHER. 

b Blue Sky. m Misty or Hazy. 

c Clouds. o Completely overcast. 

d Drizzling Rain. p Passing Showers. 

f Thick Fog. q Squally. 

g Dark, Stormy Weather. r Continuous Rain. 

b Hail. t Thunder. 

1 Lightning. u L'gly and Threatening. 

A Star (*) in connection with a letter denotes an extraor- 
dinary degree. 

*See Doc. No. 35. 



152 



APPENDIX. 



be denotes Blue Sky with Detached Clouds. 
rq " Continuous Rain with Squalls of Wind. 
The temperature is expressed in degrees Fahrenheit; the 
barometrical heights in inches. 



Bombardment of Fort Macon, N. C, April 25, 1862. 
Fire opened at 8.40 A. M. 

Weather Record of U. S. Steamer Daylight, for April 25, 1862. 



Time. 


Wind. 
















Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 


A. M. 








ature. 


eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


Calm. 





b 






2 


a 





b 






3 


W. by S. 


3 


b 






4 


S. W. 


5 


b 






5 


a 




b 






6 


a 




b 






7 


a 




b 






8 


ti 




b 






9 


a 




b 






10 


a 




b 






11 


a 




b 






12 


a 




b 






P. M. 












1 


S. W. by S. 


5 


b 






2 


a 


5 


b 






3 


a 


5 


b 






4 


s. s. w. 


5 


b 






5 




< 


5 


b 






6 




i 


5 


c 






7 




i 


5 


c 






8 




< 


4 


c 






9 




< 


4 


c 






10 




< 


4 


c 






11 




< 


3 


c 






12 


N. E. 


2 


c 







APPENDIX. 



153 



Fort Macon — Continued. 
Weather Reeord of U. S. Steamer Daylight, for April 26, 1862. 





Time. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 








ature. 




A.M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


E. N. E. 


4 


c 






2 


" 


4 


c 






3 


u 


4 


c 






4 


N. N. E. 


4 


c 






5 


" 


4 


c 






6 


cc 


4 


c 






7 


it 


4 


c 






8 


a 


3 


c 






9 


ti 


3 


c 






10 


tt 


o 

O 


c 






11 


" 


3 


c 






12 


N. E. 


3 


c 






P. M. 












1 


N. N. E. 


5 


c 






2 


<< 


5 


c 






3 


tt 


5 


c 






4 


a 


5 


c 






5 


a 


5 


r 






6 


N. E. N. 


5 


r 






7 


a 


5 


r 






8 


N. N. E. 


4 


c 






9 


a 


4 


c 






10 


<< 


4 


c 






11 


N. N. W. 


5 


c 






12 


a 


5 


c 







Note. — The foregoing shows rain brought on by firing com- 
menced at a time when there was a fresh wind blowing, as well as 
a perfectly clear sky overhead. It will be noticed that the wind 
moved around a little over half the circumference of the horizon 
between the commencement of the firing and the commencement 
of the rain. 



154 



APPENDIX. 



Attack on General Terry, on James Island. 

Engagement took place at daybreak, July 16th, 1863, five gunboats 
assisting in the defence. 

Weather Record of the U. S. Steamer New Ironsides, July 16, 1863. 



Time, 


Wind. 
















Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 








ature. 




A. M. 


Direction. 


Force. 


eter. 


1 


S. W. 


1 


be 






2 


" 


1 


be 






3 


a 


1 


be 


78 


29.74 


4 


w. 


1 


be 


79 




5 




1 


be 






6 




1 


be 






7 




1 


be 






8 




1 


be 






9 




1 


be 






10 




1 


be 






11 




1 


be 






12 


s. s. w. 


3 


be 


85 


29.74 


P. M. 












1 


s. s. w. 


3 


be 






2 


s. 


3 


be 






3 


it 


3 


be 






4 


a 


3 


be 




29.68 


5 


" 


4 


c 






6 




4 


c 




29.67 


7 


a 


2 


c 






8 


a 


2 


c 






9 


E. 


4 


rq 






10 


a 


4 


rq 






11 


N. N. E. . 


2 


r 






12 


a 


2 


r 




29.71 



APPENDIX. 



155 



Bombardment of Forts Sumter and Wagner, and the Cum- 
mings Point Batteries, r»v the Siege Batteries of General 
Gilmore, Aug. 17, 1863. 

Fire opened at a very early hour in the morning. 

Weather Record of the New Ironsides for Aug. 17, 1863. 



Time. 


Wind. 
















Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 








ature. 




A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


. W. 


o 


be 






2 


a 


2 


be 






3 


a 


2 


be 






4 


<< 


2 


be 


78 


29.72 


5 


<< 


2 


be 






6 


" 


2 


be 






7 


Variable. 


2 


be 






8 


" 


to 1 


be 






9 


" 


Oto 1 


be 






10 


a 


Oto 1 


be 






11 


a 


Oto 1 


be 






12 


" 


Oto 1 


be 






P.M. 












1 


S.E. 


2 


be 






2 


i i 


2 


c 






3 


a 


2 


c 






4 


a 


2 


c 




29.60 


5 


" 


2 


c 






6 


a 


2 


r 






7 


N. E. 


3 


r 






8 


it 


3 


r 






9 


it 


3 


r 






10 


a 


3 


c 






11 


E. 


2 


c 






12 


n 


2 


c 




29.60 



156 



APPENDIX. 



First Attack on Fort Fisher. 

Powder Boat Louisiana exploded at a quarter before 2 A. M., 
Dec. 24, 1864. 

Bombardment commenced at half-past 11 A. M., and continued 
through the day. 

Weather Record of Steamer Malvern, Dec. 24, 1864. 



Time. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 


A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 


















1.30 A.M. 


1 


W. by S. 


2 


be 




30.26 
1.46 A. M. 


2 


a 


2 


be 




30.24 


3 


w. 


3 


be 




30.24 


4 


" 


3 


be 




30.24 




TV. X. W. 


3 


be 






6 


tt 


3 


be 


45 


30.20 


7 


w. 


4 


be 






8 


a 


4 


be 


40 


30.30 


9 


a 


4 


be 




30.30 


10 


w. s. w. 


5 


be 


42 


30.11 


11 


S. W. by W. 


5 


be 




30.11 


12 


S. W. 


5 


be 


43 


30.32 


P. M. 












1 


s. w. 


5 


be 


45 




2 


. ( 


5 


be 






3 


" 


4 


be 


48 




4 


" 


3 


be 


50 




5 


w. 


2 


be 






6 


It 


2 


be 






7 


a 




be 






8 


a 




be 


45 


30.30 


9 


" 




be 






10 


a 




be 


45 


30.30 


11 


a 




be 






12 


a 




be 


45 


30.30 



APPENDIX. 



157 



Fort Fisher — Continued. 

Bombardment renewed at 7 A. M., and continued for 7 hours. 
Weather Record of Steamer Malvern for Dec. 25, 1864. 



Time. 


Wind. 
















Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 








ature. 




A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


Calm. 




be 


52 


30.30 


o 


" 




be 


52 


30.30 


3 


it 




be 


49 




4 


a 




be 


49 




5 


N. N. E. 


1 


c 


49 


30.24 


6 


North. 


1 


be 


49 




7 


tc 


1 


be 


49 


30.30 


8 


Calm. 




— be 






9 


North. 


1 


be 






10 


" 


1 


be 


51 


30.30 


11 


N. N. E. 


2 


be 






12 


" 


2 


be 


55 


30.30 


P. M. 












1 


N. N. E. 


2 


c 


56 


30.26 


2 


E. N. E. 


2 


c 


54 


30.26 


3 


N. E. 


1 


c 


55 


30.22 


4 


a 


1 


c 


55 


30.22 


5 


tt 


1 


c 


55 


30.22 


6 


a 


1 


c 


55 


30.10 


7 


S. E 


2 


cd 


55 




8 


a 


2 


cd 






9 


a 


2 


cd 


59 


30.10 


10 


a 


3 


cd 






11 


" 


3 


cd 


55 


30.10 


12 


a 











158 



APPENDIX. 



Fort Fisher — Continued* 



Weather Record of Steamer Malvern, for Dec. 26, 1$ 



Time. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 


A. M. 








ature. 


eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 










30.00 


2 


S. E. 


3 


R 


57 


29.96 


3 


" 


1 


R 


57 


29.92 


4 


a 


2 





57 


29.90 


5 


a 


4-5 


orq 


57 


29.90 


6 


s. w. 


4-5 


orq 


57 


29.90 


7 


s. s. w. 


4 


— 






8 


w. 


4 


orq 


60 


30.10 


9 


Baffling. 


1 


c 






10 


a 


1 


c 


66 


29.90 


11 


" 


1 


c 






12 


W. S. W. 


2 


r 


66 


29.84 


P. M. 












1 


Variable. 


1 


c 






2 


a 


1 


c 


59 


29.80 


3 


West. 


1 


c 






4 


n 


1 


c 


56 


29.80 


5 


a 


1 


be 


58 




6 


a 


1 


be 


50 


29,80 


7 


a 


1 


be 






8 


a 


2 


be 


55 


29.80 


9 


Baffling. 


1 


c 






10 


W. by N. 


1 


c 


52 


29.79 


11 


s. s. w. 


1 


c 






12 


West. 


1 


c 


52 


29.79 



APPENDIX. 



159 



First Day's Operations at the Capture of Fort Fisher, 
Jan., 1865. 

Heavy bombardment commenced soon after midnight, morning of 
the 13th. Weather on the 12th, be, until 8 P. M.; thence until 
midnight, b. 

Weather Record of Flag-ship Malvern, Jan. 13, 1865. 





Time. 


Wind. 


Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 


A. M. 








ature. 


eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


S.W. by W. 


2 


be 


45 


30.30 


2 


" 


2 


be 




30 30 


3 


" 


2 


be 


48 


30.30 


4 


n 


2 


be 


40 


30.29 


5 


it 


2 


be 






6 


a 


2 


be 


40 


30.20 


7 


West. 


3 


be 






8 


" 


3 


be 


45 


30 20 


9 


a 


6 


be 






10 


Calm. 





be 


46 


30.28 


11 


s. s. w. 


2 


be 






12 


a 


2 


be 


57 


30.32 


P.M. 












1 


s. s. w. 


2 


be 


60 


30.30 


2 




2 


be 






3 




3 


H 


57 


30.35 


4 




4 


H 


55 




5 




2 


H 


55 




6 




2 


H 


55 


30.22 


7 




2 


c 






8 




2 


c 


49 


30.20 


9 




2 


H 






10 




2 


H 


50 


30.12 


11 




3 


H 






12 




3 


H 


50 


30.08 



160 



APPENDIX. 



Passage of the Batteries at Port Hudson, Night of 
March 14-15, 1863. 

Fire opened at 11.20 P. M., March 14. At midnight, wind from 
northward, with force 2 ; weather, be ; barometer, 30.00. 

Weather Record of Steam Sloop Hartford, for March 15, 1863. 



Time. 


Wind. 


Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 


A. M. 








ature. 


eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


Calm. 





be 






2 


it 





be 






3 


a 





be 






4 


" 





be 




30.10 


5 


it 





be 






6 


a 





be 






7 


a 





be 






8 


" 





be 






9 


a 





be 






10 


a 





be 






11 


" 





be 






12 


" 





be 




10.30 


P. M. 












1 


Calm, 





r 




30.10 


2 


tt 





r* 






3 


a 





r* 






4 


it 





r* 






5 


a 





r* 






6 


a 





r* 






7 


a 





r* 






8 


a 





r* 






9 


N. E. 


2 


r* 






10 


a 


2 


r* 






11 


s. s. w. 


2 


c 






12 


it 


2 


cf 







APPENDIX. 



161 



FARRAGUT BELOW NEW ORLEANS. 

Bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip. 

More or less firing from 9 A. M. to 6.40 P. M., April 18, 1862. 

Weather Record of U. the S. Steam Sloop Hartford, for 
April 18, 1862. 



Time. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 








ature. 




A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


S. E. 


5 


be 


71 




2 






a 


a 


a 


30.19 


3 






it 


a 






4 






3 


a 


<t 


30.18 


5 






(C 


it 






6 






2 


a 


72 


30.20 


7 






a 


it 






8 






a 


a 


73 


30.25 


9 






a 


" 






10 






a 


a 


79 


30.26 


11 






a 


a 


80 


30.25 


12 




a 


a 




30.16 


P. M. 












1 


S. E. 


2 


be 






2 








a 


85 


30.23 


3 








a 






4 








it 




30.22 


5 








a 






6 








a 






7 








a 


80 




8 








a 






9 








a 


75 


30.24 


10 








a 


75 


a 


11 








a 






12 






a 




30.21 



162 



APPENDIX. 



Bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip — Continued. 

More or less firing from 6.40 A. M. to midnight, April 19. 

Weather Record of the Hartford, for April 19, 1862. 



Time. 


Wind. 


Weath'R 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 


A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


S. E. 




be 






2 








be 






3 








be 






4 








be 


72 


30.20 


5 








be 






6 








be 


70 


30.20 


7 








be 






8 








be 






9 








be 


76 


30.19 


10 








be 


- 




11 








be 






12 






be 


81 


30.15 


P. M. 












1 


S. S. W. 




be 






2 


" 




be 






3 


a 




be 






4 


a 




be 


83 


30.10 


5 


a 




be 






6 


S. S. E. 




be 


78 


30.18 


7 


n 




be 






8 


" 




be 


80 


30.08 


9 


South. 




b 


75 




10 


a 




b 






11 


" 




b 






12 


6i 


2 


b 


73 





APPENDIX. 



163 



Bombardment of Forts Jackson and St. Philip — Continued. 
Weather Record of the Hartford, for April 20, 1862. 



Time. 


Wind. 


Weath'r 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 


A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


s. w. 


2 


be 


74 




2 


a 


2 


be 




30.05 


3 




2 


be 






4 


" 


2 


be 




29.96 


5 


" 


2 


be 






6 


" 


2 


rpc 


70 


29.96 


7 


w. s. w. 


2 


rpc 






8 




2 


rpc 






9 

10 




2 
2 


rpc 






11 




2 








12 




2 




63 


29.98 


P. M. 












1 


w. s. w. 


3 


c 






2 


It 


9 


c 


62 


29.98 


3 


it 


4 


c 


60 




4 


it 


9 


c 


58 




5 


N. W. 


5 


c 


56 




(3 


" 


5 


c 


55 


30.07 


7 


" 


5 


c 






8 


" 


5 


c 






9 


N. W. by W. 


5 


be 


56 


30.00 


10 


<< 


4 


be 




30.00 


11 


( t 


3 


be 




30.00 


12 


a 


3 


be 




30.00 



164 



APPENDIX. 



FARRAGUT BELOW NEW ORLEANS — Continued. 

Grand Attack on Forts Jackson and St. Philip — Passage of 
the Forts, and Destruction of the Rebel Fleet. 

Fight commenced before daylight, April 24, 1862. 

Weather Record of U. S. Steam Sloop Hartford, for April 24, 1862. 



Time. 
A. M. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 
eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


S. by W. 




b 


75 


30.20 


2 


" 


T 


b 


75 


30.20 


3 


a 




b 


75 


30.20 


4 


" 




b 


75 


30.20 


5 


" 




b 


75 


30.20 


6 


" 




b 


75 


30.20 


7 


a 


2 


b 


75 


30.20 


8 


s. w. 


2 


b 


70 


30.20 


9 


" 


2 


b 


70 


30.20 


10 


a 


2 


b 


73 


30.20 


11 


" 


2 


b 


tt 




12 


<; 


2 


b 


75 


30.21 


P. M. 












1 


s. w. 


2 


b 






2 


" 


2 


b 






3 


11 


2 


b 






4 


ii 


2 


b 


78 


30.21 


5 




2 


b 






6 


E. S. E. 


2 


be 


78 




7 




2 


be 




30.21 


8 




2 


be 






9 




2 


be 






10 




2 


be 






11 




2 


be 




30.15 


12 




' 2 


be 







APPENDIX. 



165 



Forts Jackson and St. Philip — Continued. 
Day After thp Battle. 

Weather Record of Steam Sloop Hartford, for April 25, 1862. 



Time. 
A. M. 



1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10 

11 

12 

P. M. 

1 

9 

3 
4 
5 

6 



9 
10 
11 
12 



Wind. 



Direction. 



Calm. 



Variable. 

s. s. w. 
s. s. w. 



N. W. 














9 



Weath'r 



Force. 



2 


r 


2 


r 


2 


r 


2 


r 


2 


c 


2 


c 


2 


c 


2 


c 


3 


be 


3 


ol 


3 


ol 


3 


be 



Temper- 


Barom- 


ature. 


eter. 




30.10 




30 10 


30.15 


30.15 




30.04 




30.88 



166 



APPENDIX. 



FARRAGUT AT THE ENTRANCE OF MOBILE BAY. 

Passage of the Forts, Natal Battle, and Capture of the 
" Tennessee," Aug. 5, 1864. 

Engagement commenced at about 6.45 A. M. Shower in afternoon 
of day before. 

Weather Record of U. S. Steam Sloop Hartford, for A. M. 

Aug. 5, 1864. 



Time. 
A. M. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 
eter 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


S. E. 




be 






2 


" 




be 


81 


30.04 


3 


S. S. E 




be 






4 


a 




be 


80 


30.04 


5 


" 




be 






6 


s. w. 




be 


80 




7 


" 




be 






8 


it 




be 


82 




9 


" 




ber 






10 


a 




bcr 


82 




11 


a 




be 






12 


" 




be 


83 





APPENDIX. 



167 



FARRAGUT AT ENTRANCE OF MOBILE BAY — Continued. 

Shelling of Fort Gaines by the "Chickasaw." 

Weather Record of the Hartford, for August 6, 1864. 



Time. 

A.M. ; ^ 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 
eter. 


rection. 


Force. 








1 S.] 


5. 




be 


82 




2 






be 


82 




3 






be 


82 




4 






be 


82 




5 






be 






6 






be 






7 " 






"be 






8 






be 






9 






be 


87 


30.29 


10 






be 


87 


30.27 


11 






be 


87 


30.27 


12 






be 


87 


30.27 


P. M. 












1 S. 1 


5. E. 


1 


be 


82 


30.29 


2 




1 


be 


82 


30.29 


3 




1 


be 


82 


30.29 


4 




1 


be 


82 


30.29 


5 




1 


be 




30.29 


6 




1 


be 


82 


30.29 


7 




1 


be 


81 


30.28 


8 




-j 


be 


79 


30.28 


9 




i 


be 


79 


30.27 


10 




i 


be 


79 


30.27 


11 




i 


be 


79 


30.27 


12 




i 


be 


79 


30.27 



168 



APPENDIX. 



FARRAGUT AT ENTRANCE OF MOBILE BAY — Continued. 

Weather Record of the Hartford, for August 7, 1864. 



Time. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 


A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


S. by W. 


1 


be 






2 


i i 


2 


be 






3 


Calm. 





be 






4 


t< 





be 






5 












6 












7 












8 












9 


S. by E. 


1 


be 


89 


30.29 


10 


a 


1 


be 






11 


" 


1 


be 


88 


30.30 


12 


a 


1 


be 






P. M. 












1 


S. by E. 




be 






2 


a 




be 


88 


30.30 


3 


a 




be 






4 


a 




be 


88 


30.30 


5 


t i 




be 






6 


E. S. E. 




be 


88 


30.30 


7 


i i 




be 


84 




8 


a 




be 




30.30 


9 


a 




be 


83 




10 


E. by S. 




oc 




30.26 


11 


" 




oc 


83 




12 


a 




oc 


83 


30.26 



APPENDIX. 



169 



FARRAGUT AT ENTRANCE OF MOBILE BAY — Continued. 
Weather Record of the Hartford, for August 8, 1864. 



Time. 


Wind. 


Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 


A. M. 








ature. 


eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








j. 


E. 




be 






2 


" 




be 


82 


30.30 


3 


<< 




be 






4 


c< 




be 


82 


30.30 


5 


a 




be 






6 


N. N. W. 




be 


82 


30.30 


7 


a 




be 






8 


N. by E. 




be 


84 


30.34 


9 


" 




be 






10 


" 






84 


30.30 


11 


N. 










12 


u 






87 


30.28 


P. M. 












1 


N.W. 


2 


be 






2 


W. 


2 


be 


89 


30.28 


3 


c< 


2 


be 






4 


a 


2 


be 


89 


30.28 


5 


it 


2 


be 






6 


it 


2 


be 


89 


30.28 


7 


N. E. 


1 


qr 






8 


N. N. E. 


1 


qr 


85 


30.27 


9 


Calm. 





ol 






10 


a 





ol 


83 


30.21 


11 


s. w. 


1 


bcl 


82 




12 




1 


be 


82 


30.21 



170 



APPENDIX. 



FARRAGUT AT ENTRANCE OF MOBILE BAY.— Continued. 

Weather Record of the Hartford, for A. M., Aug. 9, 1864. 



Time. 


Wind. 
















Weath'r 


Temper- 


Babom- 


A. M. 








ature. 


ETER. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


N. E. 


1 


bcl 






o 


a 


1 


bcl 


81 


30.15 


3 


N. 


1 


bcl 






4 


N. E. by N. 


1 


bcl 


81 


30.15 


5 


a 


1 


bcl 






6 


Calm. 





bcl 


81 


30.19 


7 


i i 





be 






8 


it 


1 


be 


81 


30.19 


9 


E. 


1 


be 






10 


" 


1 


be 


81 


30.19 


11 


" 


1 


be 






12 


a 


1 


be 


81 


30.19 



Shelling of Fort Morgan by Several Vessels of the Fleet. 
Action commenced at noon, Aug. 9, and ended at 4 P. M. 
Weather Record of the Hartford, for P. M., Aug. 9, 1864. 



Time. 


Wind. 
















Weath'r 


Temper- 


Barom- 








ature. 




.P M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


E. 


1 


be 






2 


S. 


1 


be 


84 


30.33 


3 




2 


oc 






4 




2 


oc 


83 


30.11 


5 




2 


oc 






6 




2 


oc 


82 


30.11 


7 




2 


oc 






8 




2 


oc 


82 


30.11 


9 




2 


be 






10 




1 


be 


81 


30.24 


11 




1 


be 






12 




1 


be 


81 


30.24 



APPENDIX. 



171 



Day After the Shelling of Fort Morgan. 
Weather Record of the Hartford, for Aug. 10, 1864. 



Time. 


Wind. 




Weath'r 


Temper- 
ature. 


Barom- 


A. M. 






eter. 


Direction. 


Force. 








1 


S. E. 


2 


g 1 






2 


ec 


3 


g 1 


80 


30.16 


3 
4 


S. by W. 


2 


g 1 
g 1 


81 


30.14 


5 

6 


Baffling. 




g 1 
g 1 


79 


30.14 


7 
8 


it 

a 




g 1 
g 1 


81 


30.16 


9 
10 


s. w. 




g 1 
gr 


80 


30.14 


11 


it 


4 


gr 






12 


s. 


3 


g r 


80 


30.12 


P. M. 












1 


s. 


2 









2 


S. E. 







76 


30.15 


3 


it 











4 


" 




od 


77 


30.10 


5 


it 











6 


a 







76 


30.10 


7 


" 


2 


bdt 






8 


" 


2 


bdt 


78 


30.07 


9 


<• 


2 


bcl 






10 


ft 


2 


bcl 


78 


30.07 


11 


S. S. E. 


3 


bcl 






12 


a 


3 


lg 


78 


30.06 



The following remarks are also entered in the Log: "From 
midnight to 4 A. M. had a squall of rain from the east. At 9.30 
A. M. a heavy rain squall from the southwest." 



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